


Plan for Heaven Though Hell Will Do

by flyingonfeatherlesswings



Category: Doctor Strange (2016), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alpha!Stephen, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - World War II, Anal Sex, Attempted Sexual Assault, Discussion of mpreg, M/M, Omega!Mordo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-23
Updated: 2018-09-22
Packaged: 2018-11-18 04:55:17
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 41,106
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11284149
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flyingonfeatherlesswings/pseuds/flyingonfeatherlesswings
Summary: The Allied Forces are closing in on the Nazis and Karl Mordo, a young Romanian omega of noble birth, knows he soon will be  free of the unwelcome visitors on his family's estate in France that they've had to deal with the past few years.But things get complicated when an injured American airman stumbles into his life.





	1. Chapter 1: Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Hey there back at it again with that period piece omegaverse! Mordo centric this time though and I'm trying to be a bit more comic canon compliant with Mordo's family. Just a few things: I studied history in college and I like WWII novels so I think I have a fairly good grasp with the history buttt you can be reassured I'm probably gonna take artistic liberties with the Allied invasion of the European theater.
> 
> And just like in my fic A Different Kind of Destiny, how people view others of different race is really different in this than it would be in real life. I'm endeared to film Mordo and I want to write him in ways that would maybe not be possible in the real world, like him actually being an Eastern European noble. Plus I don't want to leave Wong out my fics either. And it's omegaverse, it's not exactly adhearing to real life much. But anyway, if I do anything to do with race that makes you uncomfortable, please tell me, I'm always looking to grow through my writing. 
> 
> Okay, I think I covered the bases, if anyone wants an explanation on how I view omegaverse working just ask and I will post it on the next chapter. 
> 
> Title from Woke Up Hurting by Frightened Rabbit

_Slug through the day, sneak between_

_The houses I have made_

_And run sacred rivers up my sleeve_

_Pills by mouth with lemonade_

_As the hours slow down, they all clock out_

_Of the cracked up daily grind_

_I’m in a back back street, coming down_

_I wait for the beam of light_

_Show me the door_

_I need somewhere to go_

 

Things were not supposed to be like this. They saw the Germans amassing territory, they saw what happened to the Sudetenland and to Austria. The Mordos knew that Romania wouldn’t be safe, that the Germans would keep expanding east, and their fears rang true when they invaded Poland in September 1939. So the Mordos reluctantly left behind their luxury townhouse in Bucharest to flee to France, where their summer home was. They were secure in the fact that Western Europe would not fall to the Germans.

Of course, they were wrong.

Gathering their things to leave, Karl made sure to memorize their little street in Bucharest, its cobbled stones, the bakery on the corner, the bookshop Mordo had spent many a day pursuing across the way. The dome of a nearby cathedral shining up over the skyline. His mother had assured him over and over that they would only be gone a few weeks, that the Germans would surely end their expansion soon and be content with their new little empire. Someone would stop them. But Karl had a gnawing feeling in the pits of his stomach that that wasn’t true. And so in front of the motorcar he stared up at the only home he had ever known, its bright yellow color and its decorated windows.

 In one such window his beloved cat Tomas stared out at him. Karl had asked if he could take him with them but his mother, the Baroness Sara Mordo, had waved his request off. There would be no point she said, cats are fickle creatures that cannot adapt, and they would be home soon. The maid had told him that she would see to the tomcat, no matter what happened, and Karl had accepted the answer without fuss while still looking bitterly on as his mother loaded up the carrier containing her snappy terrier Marguerite onto the motorcar that would take them to the station.

They had settled in at their grandfather’s estate and for a while everything seemed like it would be okay. But then the Germans turned their eyes to the west.

It was like they swept in overnight, one day, the roads that ran past the estate were teeming with trucks of French soldiers and then the next the Germans came sweeping down those same roads. Karl’s family had heard too late about how quickly the Germans were taking France and only his father, Nikolai, had been able to secure a business visa to escape to England. All too soon that route was closed to them.

And of course they would not be allowed to ride out the war in solitude, keeping their heads down with a lower quality of life than they were used to. They’d have to let most of the household servants go and they’d have to ration the food, but they would be okay. Karl’s grandfather, the Viscount Heinrich Krowler, had many connections in the nearby village, and he would make sure they would not go without.

Karl just didn’t think they would open their doors to the Nazis.

They had come prowling around, sending their most charming officer, Lieutenant Kaecilius, to talk to Krowler. Karl had peered out from an adjacent study as his grandfather welcomed the German officer into the parlor. Karl knew his grandfather was a cold man, and would send the Nazis on their way in the stern manner he often denied Karl small pleasures. He was a man of morals and he would stand his ground.

And so Karl was shocked when the Nazis had moved into their unused quarters and had established a base of operations. It turned out that Krowler had permitted them to do so without much opposition. They just had to swear that they would not enter the family’s private rooms, there would be no excessive drinking on the premises, and under no circumstances were any soldiers allowed to pursue the Viscount’s omega grandson. Kaecilius had readily agreed to all the terms.

Karl was disgusted to see the trucks pull up on the long drive up to the front door and ran to the sitting room where his grandfather and his mother were taking tea.

“How could you?” demanded Karl as he pushed open the door.

Krowler simply put his tea cup back in the saucer and looked up at his irate grandson. “Why Karl, thank you for joining us, would you like a cup of tea?”

“Don’t change the subject! I want to know why you’ve invited Nazis into our home, after all we went through to get away from them! We could be home right now, in Bucharest, what was even the point of coming here? Why have you done something so—so cowardly!” Sara’s hand which had been petting Marguerite suddenly clenched at hearing her son’s outburst and the small dog yelped.  

Karl could be home, going to cafes and bookstores with his friends from school. He could be stroking Tomas’ back as the cat was laid out on a window sill in the sun. Taking long walks along the Dâmbovița River. Stealing cookies from the kitchen. Avoiding talking about alpha suitors with his mother. Instead he was here, in a cold old mansion that was being taken by the Nazis. Just like they took everything else.

Krowler stood up, placing his saucer and tea on the low table in front of him, and approached Karl. He stood a bit taller than his grandson, the image of an imposing alpha of noble birth. He placed his large hands on the young man’s shoulder with a soft smile.

Karl looked up at the alpha cautiously, “Grandfather---” but before he could get an apology out the older man’s smile dropped and he smacked Karl across the face sending the younger man stumbling back. Sara stared on in wide-eyed horror at her father.

“You, young man, need to learn your place. Your silly parents have let you have a relatively free lifestyle but I _will not_ allow you to talk to me like that, or to any alpha for that matter, in _my home._ That’s right, you called it ‘our home’, but it is mine. And I will invite the devil himself in if I take a shine to the idea! In my day omegas like you would have been married off years ago and you’d have a few babes underfoot. You are a spoiled little boy Karl Amadeus Mordo and since your parents have neglected finding you a suitable alpha and your father is absent that makes me your alpha and you will treat me, and my decisions, with respect. Is that understood?”

Karl gnawed his lower lip, his hand still holding the cheek that Krowler had struck, and he gave a shaky nod. His mother looked on sympathetically at him but did nothing to stop her father.

“You will use your words boy, I want to hear that you understand.”

“Yes, grandfather.”

Krowler scowled, “Yes who?”

Karl swallowed and managed to drag his eyes up to his grandfather’s eye line, “Yes alpha.”

Krowler’s stance softened and a small smile returned to his lips, “Good. Now sit and have some tea with your mother, we need to discuss how we will behave towards our new guests.”

Later when Karl was curled up in his plush four-poster bed, his mother came in, her face lit with a candle. She placed it on the table, and rubbed her son’s back. “Your grandfather does not want to be harsh to you, darling, he’s just worried.” He turned over onto his back to look up at her. If his skin had been lighter a bruise would be visible under his cheekbone, but instead it was just very tender. “He wants to protect us, especially you Karl, it is very dangerous having an unmated omega around all these hot blooded alpha soldiers.”

Karl wanted to argue that if the soldiers were so dangerous then what was the logic in throwing their doors open to them? But he kept his mouth firmly shut.

“It’s all my fault,” said his mother pathetically, “You’re 22, you’re supposed to be mated by now, you’d have a strong alpha to protect you. But I failed as a mother, letting you attend university like I did.”

It was almost becoming unbearable, biting his tongue the way he was. He wanted to yell at her that he would be in a worse place if she had forced to get married years ago. The suitors she had presented him had all been aristocrats, spineless little boys playing being men because their daddies had important titles and riches. Ones he was sure wouldn’t have hesitated to take a mistress or two, certainly not the kind of men to go to great heights to make sure their family was safe. Karl would’ve been alone with a babe in his arms and a toddler clinging to his pants leg, as their entire world fell down around them. He may have been in the snake den but at least all he had was himself to worry about. He had some hope here at least.

After he had patted his mother’s hand and told her that everything was fine, that he was alright, and sent her back to her own bedroom he had resettled in bed and made a resolution to himself. What the Nazis wanted to do could not hold, Karl’s studies at university had had an emphasis on history and he knew the time of empires was long gone. The Third Reich could not feasibly rule over so many people of different ethnicities, religions and languages. And they had already made an enemy of Great Britain and her Commonwealth, it was only a matter of time before the United States came to its senses to and came to their aid. This was not a matter of getting acclimatized to a new life, accepting that this was the way things would be.

No, this was a matter of waiting, and surviving. His mother had hoarded enough suppressants that he could resist going into heat for years possibly, and so his scent would be muted to the soldiers. He could keep his head down, keep to his quarantined family quarters. And most of all, not make himself a burden upon his grandfather. He worried what the man would do to save his own skin, history had not kind to omegas in times of conflict and Karl was well aware of the horrors that could happen to him.

And from that night, Karl found that he was good at keeping his head down. He hid away in the estate’s library, reading some books over and over again until their spines crumbled. He also managed to cultivate quite a nice little vegetable and herb garden in the greenhouse on the grounds. The Germans were not permitted to go there but they were quite grateful for the fresh produce and left him be, not counting a few lingering looks or a few whispered words like “omega” “unmated” “beautiful” that his ears managed to catch. He wore plain, almost servant like clothes to work with his plants, much different than his mother and grandfather who still liked to dress in finery befitting of their station and title, and this helped not to draw attention to himself. No one dared touch or even directly approach him except to nod politely and acquire about his day. No, there was a brothel in the nearby village and there were other male and female omegas willing to entertain them there. They could stand to leave him alone.

Three years slipped by without much incident and Karl was starting to feel a shift in the air. The Germans had strutted around so confidently for so long, but now the commanding officers seemed a bit shakier, more worried. Their leader, Kaecilius, was starting to get bags under his eyes and his already prominent cheekbones were becoming harsher. His charming, handsome appearance was slipping. Karl had silently rejoiced when he had heard that America had entered the war and though news was limited, he knew that the Allies must be closing in. The Germans would retreat back into Germany, and life would slowly but gradually regain some sanity.

But unfortunately life was to first suddenly get much more insane for young Karl Mordo.

And it all started with an American plane crashing into his family’s woods.


	2. The American

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Karl makes a grand discovery and he makes a decision.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay someone suggested Keith David to play Krowler and that was actually who I was imagining when I started this story. Maybe a mix of him and Sidney Poitier, because SP has that very regal way of speaking. David can be very intimidating though. 
> 
> For Sara, I've had Viola Davis and Gina Torres recommended. I kinda lean more towards Torres because I think her and Chiwetel look more alike.

_This is what it is to be_

_Call it joy in youth, don’t dare call it free_

The day started off normally enough, Karl was sitting with his grandfather and his mother calmly eating their modest breakfast. Their breakfasts in Bucharest had included jams of a wide variety of fruits, but their options had narrowed significantly to a hard, hearty bread with butter and a side of a sausage under the German occupation. Occasionally Krowler would dig out a bottle of brandy from their private stores and spend the night conversing and smoking with the higher-ups in the main parlor downstairs. The next morning he would produce two oranges from his inner pocket and Sara would clap with delight at the gift, oranges might as well be the stuff of fairy tales these days. Karl meanwhile would take the fruit and say a quiet thank you. He would eat it, but the source of the gift soured the taste to him.

Karl didn’t speak much to his family during breakfast. His mother would ask after his vegetables and herbs and Karl would fill her in on what was thriving and what he was struggling to make survive. It was spring and so he was would soon be busy cultivating their extra produce during the summer. Last summer he had been very successful with the tomatoes and he had even been allowed to sell some to the village’s grocer, Wong.

Krowler didn’t add much to the conversation, nodding and making sounds of acknowledgement as he sipped on his tea. Karl had often wondered how his grandfather had coped. His mother had lived a relative life of leisure, her time being taken up with running a household, hosting banquets and meetings with friends of similar stations. His grandfather had been a man of business though, travelling all around Europe for business meetings. He had even gone as far as Bombay at one point and had brought back a then ten year-old Karl a small porcelain elephant that he had left sitting on the nightstand in his bedroom in Bucharest. Karl didn’t understand how the monotony hadn’t driven him mad.

They had not received any information about the household in Bucharest in months. Krowler had had an associate go to the house and disband the rest of the servants, wiring enough pay to last them a month or so. The urge to ask his grandfather to ask after Tomas had almost burned him up from the inside, but he had pushed it down. Krowler was a practical man, he would not waste ink over concern of household pets. It was no secret that the Allies had been bombing Romania for the past year and the Red Army must be fast approaching after driving the Germans out of Russia after the failed sieges at both Stalingrad and Leningrad. It was unknown to them if their precious home even still stood.

Karl’s father Nikolai had also not been heard from. Krowler had first been able to bribe the Germans to get a few letters out to London, but that had stopped a year or so back. Karl wondered what he was doing to occupy himself. Nikolai wasn’t a stern man of business like his father-in-law, no he was much more fanciful, he had even considered becoming a poet in his youth but his family had of course, rejected the entire notion. Nevertheless, Karl had managed to remember to bring along the book full of Nikolai’s poetry with him into exile.

He liked to imagine his father enjoying the freedom, away from his wife and his stern father-in-law. He would take daily walks through Regent’s Park, buy flowers in Covenant Garden, go to cafes and talk to other writers. Pretend that he never had a family forcing him to be someone he wasn’t. In the past, those thoughts would have distressed Karl, but now they were a silent comfort. Let one of them be free at least.

“Oh!” said Sara, interrupting Karl’s thoughts “Did either of you hear that explosion last night?”

Both Krowler and Karl answered in the negative, “Well it was very loud. Made Marguerite go crazy for a while, rattled the windows and everything. I can’t believe the two of you managed to sleep through it.”

Karl stood to look out the window, just now noticing the increased activity around the grounds. “I wonder what it was.”

 “Oh probably just more American bombs, dear,” said Sara as she sipped at her tea.

There was a munitions factory about 20 kilometers to the east that the Allied Powers had been focusing their attacks on for the last few weeks. “But that sounded like it was a lot closer than one of those. Those have never shaken the house before.”

“Maybe it was an incompetent bomber. I don’t trust the Americans to not put just any country bumpkin in charge of a plane full of explosives. It’s a marvel they’ve come this far,” said Krowler. Karl was almost in awe at his dismissal of the Americans, at his European snobbery. The British he could tolerate, but the Americans could march in tomorrow and he’d scoff at their hair-cuts and the state of their uniforms.

Karl watched for a moment longer, seeing troops come streaming out from their home and into the surrounding woods. Karl swung around to look at his grandfather, “May I be excused?”

Krowler rolled his eyes, “Curious at the commotion?”

“No sir, it’s just…they all seem busy and I think it would be a good time to go check my plants.”

Krowler scowled, “They haven’t been bothering you, have they? Have any of them tried to touch you?”

Karl shook his head frantically, terrified that his grandfather would try and lock him away, “No sir! Not at all.”

Krowler relaxed back into the plush chair and waved his hand, “Then go. Be careful.”

Karl nodded and thanked him before rushing out of the room. He wanted to remind him that he was always careful, that his guard had not dropped in years, but as always, the words went unsaid to his grandfather.

Once he got to the ground floor, he kept his eyes trained on the ground in front him, seeing soldier’s boots walking by in his periphery. He was almost to the door that would lead to the back exit when he heard a voice call out, “Good morning, young lord!”

Karl turned around and there was Kaecilius, standing there in his uniform with a soft smile on his face, his light hair falling over in a flattering swoop. Kaecilius was the only officer allowed to speak to him candidly.

“Good morning, sir. How are things today?” responded Karl in a gentlemanly manner.

“Oh very busy, my little lord,” sighed the officer, “We had an incident last night.”

“Oh?” Karl didn’t really normally pry, but his curiosity had been piqued and if the officer was willing to part with information, he might as well try, “Was it about the noise last night?”

“Oh you were awoken?”

“No but my mother was.”

“Please give her my sincere apology for the inconvenience. An American plane that was trying to drop bombs on the factory was shot down last night. But don’t worry, it has been dealt with.” With that, Kaecilius clapped him on the shoulder. “Now run along to your plants, little lord.”

The officer gave him one last smile and ducked into a side parlor. Karl let himself shiver in disgust before turning back around and exiting through the servants’ door. He did not like receiving attention from any of the Germans, but certainly not their leader, who seemed like he knew more than he let on and he was always putting on an act. Karl thought he might be more suited for the stage than the military.

Karl came into the greenhouse and let himself relax some. No one else was allowed in here, it was his own little private jungle. But to his dismay though he could still see soldiers lurking around in the woods. And he was confused, hadn’t they dealt with everything? Why was one American plane causing so much caution? He was sure that the wreckage had been extinguished and the body disposed of. So what exactly were they looking for?

Karl carried on tending to his plants though, picking basil and rosemary to be dried, watering the tomato plants, and trimming away at some over-grown specimens.

He was holding his potted mint plant to the sun to observe how its growth was coming along when he heard a groan.

A groan that sounded uncomfortably close by.

Karl yelped and almost dropped the mint, managing to fumble and put the plant back onto the table. He grabbed the scythe from against the wall and held it in front of him for protection.

“Who’s there?” he demanded, spinning around in place. “Show yourself.”

Another soft groan was admitted and this time, Karl could tell it was coming from the storage area under his feet. The greenhouse had a small cellar where the gardener had stored equipment and seeing as they had had let the gardener go years ago, the room hadn’t been opened in some time.

Karl crept to the door that opened to the stairs to the cellar. “Speak, intruder! I just want you to know I am armed!” He held on tighter to the scythe.

He pushed against the door, which gave a lot easier than he thought it would. Really, he didn’t even know it was unlocked. On the top of the stairs sat a small lantern with oil still in it. Karl placed his weapon against the wall and went back to his toolbox and grabbed a match which he used to light the lantern. “One last chance!” he called grabbing the scythe, “I am coming down there.”

Karl could’ve just had some soldiers come and check it out, but he was just so tired of them being involved in all of his affairs. And to be honest, he really didn’t want them tromping into his greenhouse, even it was to retrieve some drunk bum who had somehow stumbled into his private sanctuary.

Karl stretched out his arm, illuminating the room. It was extremely dusty and full of cobwebs. There against the far wall, between a pile of old firewood and a ladder was the source of the groans.

It was a man in uniform and he was sitting against the wall, his legs splayed out in front of him, his arms wrapped around his stomach. He eyes appeared clenched shut and his mouth was a hard grim line.

“Are you armed? Show me your hands!” said Karl, still hiding around the wall next to the stairs. Sticking the scythe out in front of him.  

The man didn’t respond and Karl almost reconsidered going to the Germans when something occurred to him. He repeated his previous words, but this time in English, not the French he was accustomed to speaking in.

The intruder’s eyes snapped open. “Hello?” he said in a pained croak. Ah, so his suspicions were correct, it was the American pilot. He was the reason soldiers were out combing the woods, he had escaped the plane crash and found his way here.

“I repeat, show me your hands,” called out Karl. The man brought his two bloodied and broken hands out in front him. It was safe then, Karl didn’t think he’d be able to pull the trigger even if he had a gun.

Karl approached him, leaving his scythe by the stairs, holding up the lantern to reveal his face. He was young, probably not much older than Karl and had dark hair. It could’ve been just the trick of the light, but his eyes appeared to be very pale blue. He had high cheekbones and shapely lips, and it all came together to make a fairly attractive face.

Karl was too busy inspecting the man that he didn’t immediately notice he was being inspected himself. “What?” he took a step back.

“You an omega?” asked the man.

“Why do you ask?”

“Only omegas are that pretty. I like your eyes.”

Karl’s mouth fell open in shock. “Are you flirting with me?”

“Eh, I’m probably dying so why not?” said the man with a weak shrug and a pained smile.

Karl grew concerned at that, and came to kneel next to the man. “Do you think you are hurt internally? The only blood I see is on your hands. Do you have a wound on your torso or legs?”

The man shook his head, “Nah, just my hands. They got all banged up when I had to crash land. Though I have the chills something fierce and I feel awful dizzy.” Karl reached up and touched the American’s forehead. The man’s skin was very pale and created an unnatural contrast against his own dark brown skin.

“You’re burning up.”

“Yeah, I figured,” mumbled the American, leaning into his touch. “Oh that feels nice.”

Karl chewed on his bottom lip as he looked over the pale man sweating and breathing shallowly before him. “I think we may need to go tell the soldiers, they may help—”

“No, you can’t do that!” exclaimed the man grabbing at Karl’s arm, momentarily forgetting how injured they were and springing back, moaning in pain.

Karl shook his head, “Why? They would take you prisoner, but you won’t die.”

“Ha! You think the Germans are going to waste their precious medicine on me? And after they torture me for information, I’m done for anyway.”

“So you’d rather die in a cold cellar? Covered in spider webs?”

The man’s pale eyes seemed to burrow into Karl’s, “I would rather die free.”

Karl stood up quickly and looked down at him. In the five years since the war started he had never in all his time met someone brave. His family were cowards. They had  had a housemaid working in their French estate, a small older woman with a great boisterous laugh, for as long as Karl could remember. She was an omega woman who had seven children, and Karl had played with her numerous grandchildren when he was a child. She had always worn a Star of David necklace around her neck and had made Karl delicious rugelach, despite Sara telling her constantly not to spoil him. She was proud of who she was, telling Karl old folktales and singing him songs in Yiddish.

When the Nazis had taken over, she had had a private meeting with his grandfather. Karl knows she must have begged him for help, for her and her whole family. And he knows how Krowler responded, because she came out of the room with tears streaming down her face. He knows that her and her family disappeared one day soon after that. He knows he heard the whispers from the other staff members about “trains” and “East” and “work camps.”

He was done letting the Nazis walk over them. Letting them get everything they wanted. Well they weren’t getting this young man, and he was going to do something that was positively unheard of.

He was going to fight.

He turned back to the man, “What is your name?”

“Stephen Strange.”

“Stephen Strange,” Karl liked how when he said it, it had a pleasing alliteration to it. “I am Karl Amadeus Mordo, it is my pleasure to meet you.” Karl almost attempted to lean down and shake Stephen’s hand, before realizing that that would be impossible and instead gave light pat on the airman’s shoulder.

“Amadeus, eh?” Stephen said with a chuckle.

“What? There’s nothing strange about that.”

Stephen looked up surprised, “Was that a pun?”

Karl smiled, moving on. “Well anyway Stephen Strange, I have decided that you are now my responsibility and you won’t be dying under my supervision.” Karl held his head up proudly.

“Well that sounds peachy, and how are you gonna do that? If the Germans find out you were hiding me you could be in great trouble. I’m assuming this is your family’s house they’ve commandeered? I’m sure they’d go down with you.”

“Let them, I’m just tired of feeling powerless. I am tired of feeling afraid of the Germans. And I need to do something or I will go mad. The Nazis can…get lost.”

Stephen threw back his head and laughed, “Yeah fuck the Nazis!”

“Yes…that.”

Stephen leveled him with a cool look, “Say it.”

“Say what?”

“F-U-C-K the goddamn Nazis. Come on, fancy boy.”

“How am I ‘fancy’?” asked Karl annoyed.

“You speak French, that makes you fancy!”

“I’ll have you know I speak six languages.”

“Oh super fancy then. Too fancy to say the f-word?”

Karl had never liked cursing, seeing it as a crude practice that ignorant minds resorted to. But these were crude times after all.

“Okay yes, fuck the Nazis. Fuck them.”

“Fuck those bastards to hell!”

“Fuck them for this stupid war, for taking our house!”

“Fuck the whole Third Reich,” said Stephen.

“Fuck Berlin! Fuck Nuremberg! Fuck Munich!”

“Okay are you going to list every German city or…”

“Fuck Hitler. Fuck their panzer tanks and whole Luftwaffe!”

“Lousy fucking pilots!”

“Fuck their propaganda! Fuck their alpha superiority!”

“Hey now,” admonished Stephen was a soft smile. Karl froze, “Oh, are you are alpha?”

“Guilty as charged,” said Stephen holding up his mangled hands. “But no I agree, the Third Reich’s ideals surrounding alphas and omegas are messed up. Fuck ‘em.”

An alpha. This man was an alpha. Karl, a mere omega was going to help a handsome alpha. He would turn all the fairy tales on their heads. It gave him a little thrill.

Stephen shifted uncomfortably, “There won’t be any fucking involved though if I die here from a fever. I have to admit this is all getting a bit too funny to me, deliriously funny actually. I’m trying my best not to giggle like a madman if I’m being honest.”

Karl snapped out of his dreams of grandeur, “Oh yes, I have something that could help with that. Just…stay right there.”

Karl turned to run back up the stairs and Stephen called behind him, “Can’t exactly go anywhere, sweetheart. What with the whole….Nazi problem.”

Karl came back down soon after with a tea. He helped Stephen to sit up and helped him drink it. “Ugh,” Stephen said, “What is in that, tastes horrible.”

“It’s nepeta cataria, but you uh, probably know it as catnip.”

“Catnip? You’re feeding me catnip?” asked Stephen.

“It’s known as a fairly common ingredient in teas that reduce fever. It will make you sweat it out while also hydrating you.”

“You know a lot about this huh?”

Karl looked down at his feet, “I’ve had a lot of time to read in the last few years.”

Karl then fetched a bucket of water and an old sheet he had used to cover some plants and wiped down Stephen’s hands as gently as possible. Stephen still hissed and clenched his eyes shut. Karl wrapped up each finger with a strip of cloth, promising he would try and bring Stephen some anti-septic.

The omega then looked around the room and let out an “Aha!” of celebration when he found an old cot lying up against the wall. The old gardener had been a bit lazy and probably snuck away down here for naps. He put it down and then helped Stephen lay down on it.

“I think I have a tarp upstairs I can cover you with,” said Karl.

“That sounds nice, Karl, I think I may be dosing off though.”

“Aren’t you hungry?”

“If I am I can’t feel it.”

“Okay well I will bring you some food in the morning, I cannot stay much longer without raising suspicions. I will leave you some water and the matches with the lantern okay?”

“Mmmhmmm,” was all Karl got back.

Karl fetched everything Stephen would need, covering him tightly with the tarp to ward off the cold. Before he left he took a damp cloth and wiped down Stephen’s forehead.

“Mmm feels nice,” slurred the feverish man, “Don’t stop baby.”

Karl froze, trying to remember how intimate the Americans considered the term.

“Mmm…Christine,” mumbled Stephen before he turned over on his side, facing the wall.

Karl stood up, so Stephen had a sweetheart back home. A wife perhaps. He would be doing this for her too, saving the man she loved. He tried not to think of the spike in jealousy he had felt in his chest.

“Au Revoir, Stephen, until tomorrow,” said Karl as he made his way up the stairs.


	3. The Nighttime Encounter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Karl tries to go and check on Stephen with almost disastrous results

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: attempted sexual assault   
> TW: victim-blaming

_Ash drifted down all around Karl and his vision was filled with smoke. He moved forward slowly and he could hear debris crunch under him, but he felt no pain despite the fact that his feet were bare. Also he couldn’t smell anything even though the air should be thick with a multitude of smells._

_He thinks he can hear some far off screams. But the tone keeps changing. It’s the deep bellow of a man, then the shrill yell of a woman, and finally a cry of a child. And then it began all over again._

_“Hello?” calls out Karl, but his voice is muffled, like he is yelling into the palm of his hand._

_He keeps going, and the scenery doesn’t change; large blocks of stone, what once were buildings, sit littering the landscape. His path remains mostly clear and he can continue walking though._

_A shape in the debris catches his eye and he bends down to pick it up. He brings it up out of the smoke to his eye line. It was a small object that fit into the palm of his hand, painted bright red with gold detail running all over it in an intricate pattern._

_Karl recognized it immediately. It was his grandfather’s elephant._

_Karl lets the elephant drop to the ground where it shatters into a fine dust. The screams have stopped and he is circling around in the eerie silence. He is surrounded by remnants of a bright yellow façade and colorful glass. Glass he had stared out watching passersby for most of his life._

_He stills when his eyes catch on something lying amongst the rubble._

_Bright orange fur._

_He opens his mouth to scream._

And instead his eyes spring open and he sits up in his bed, breathing heavily. He is shaking from the traumatic dream and he chokes back a sob.

He told himself that Tomas was fine, that even if their house was caught in the blast, that Maria the maid would’ve taken him with her to her house. And cats were wily creatures; they know where to go to avoid danger. 

Karl laid himself down against the pillows, taking deep breaths in through his nose and out his mouth. He squeezed his eyes shut and tried to think better, happier thoughts.

A certain pair of light-colored eyes came to mind.

Karl’s eyes sprang open, remembering the American he had hidden away in his greenhouse basement. His room was chilly at this time of night and he could only imagine what Stephen was suffering through down there. He should’ve stayed with him longer, waited to see if his fever had broken. He should’ve tried to get him some medicine. But instead he was in his comfortable four-poster feather bed under a layer of thick covers.

He was overcome with the need to go and check on the alpha. Knowing that he was unable to know if Tomas was okay burned him up inside, but Stephen was so close. It could only take 20 minutes to slip out the backdoor into the greenhouse to and make sure that Stephen was sleeping soundly.

The omega was filled with a sense of determination and he stood up from his bed, throwing on his thick housecoat and slipping on his slippers. He wanted desperately to bring Stephen a real blanket but knew he would look too suspicious if he was seen, but maybe he could lay his housecoat on him.

Karl exited the room and closed the door gently and then started down the hallway, past his mother and grandfather’s room. He was extra careful to be quiet going by Sara’s room, because he knew Marguerite could be set off with the tiniest hint of sound.

Luckily he made it to the stairs that led down to the main hallway without any incident and then he tip-toed down the old stairs, cringing at any creak they emitted. Finally he was on the first floor and he turned to the back door.

“What are you doing awake at this time of night omega?”

Karl froze. Of course, how could he be so stupid? There would obviously be a guard posted in such a central area of the house. There was no way he could check on Stephen now, he couldn’t let them know there was anything in the greenhouse important enough to check up on at 3am.

Karl turned around and met eyes with a tall, handsome soldier. He had blonde hair that was slicked back and cold blue eyes that stared through him. Not all like the other pair of blue eyes that had made an impression on him.

Karl threw him a guilty look, “Oh I was hungry, thought I might could get a crust of bread from the kitchen. You know us omegas, sometimes the hunger pangs wake us in the wee hours.” Karl loathed using his gender as a way to make himself look more harmless but sometimes it was necessary.

The soldier laid his gun against the wall and staggered over to Karl. He stood a few inches taller than the omega and his proximity made Karl gulp. The German came and stood in front of Karl and rested a hand on the wall next to Karl’s head. He gave Karl a wry smile.

“Is that so?” asked the soldier.

“Mm-hm” replied Karl nodding his head, “I’m sorry for disturbing your watch, but I will just grab a snack and go—”

Before Karl could turn and make his way to the kitchen, the soldier’s hand that had been against the wall shot out and grabbed his forearm. Karl gasped, it was the first time any of the soldiers had touched him beyond a handshake or a pat from Kaecilius.

The soldier raised a finger to his lips. “Now shush little mouse. I was just stopping you because, quite frankly _I don’t believe you_.”

Karl’s heart sank, had he been discovered? How could he soldier know where his true destination had been? “You don’t?” Karl managed to say, trying to hide the quiver in his voice.

“Yes, now I do believe you are hungry. Just not for bread,” said the soldier, his smirk growing, “What has it been like, _my lord,_ living as an unmated omega amongst a bunch of virile alphas all these years. Everyone here thinks you’re some haughty prude, thinks he’s better than us. Well I bet you’re sweating for it. I bet you think about us just as much as we think about you.”

Karl must have looked shocked because the soldier chuckled and continued. “Yeah we see you rush on by, I know you think those baggy gardening clothes hide you from us, but we still see this,” the soldier’s hands reached around and squeezed Karl’s behind, making Karl let out a squeak and jerk up. “And of course we see these,” said the soldier, a finger coming up to Karl’s lips, stroking them gently.  

“I’ve been thinking about those lips since the moment I saw you, on my lips and in other intimate places,” said the soldier with a laugh. He pushed his body flush against Karl, pushing his leg in between the omega’s shaky knees, his arms gripping both of Karl’s tight. Karl cringed when felt the alpha’s arousal.

The soldier’s head came down to whisper, “Just between you and me, darling, we are losing this thing I don’t intend to go out before I’ve gotten a taste.” His placed a kiss on Karl’s neck before making his way to his mouth.

“Private!”

The soldier sprang back and stood at attention, facing an enraged Kaecilius. Karl couldn’t do anything but crumple to the floor.

“Private Weiss, explain what you were just doing and make it quick,”

“The young lord came on to me, sir. I had a moment of weakness, but he just smelled so good.”

Karl looked up and was ready to protest, omegas often were given the blame for their own sexual assaults because of their biology, and not only was that ludicrous, it wasn’t even possible because he was on suppressants and therefore had no smell. Before Karl could speak up though Kaecilius walked forward, inches from Weiss’ face.

“ _Bullshit_ ,” said his commanding officer with a fine amount of enunciation.

“But sir!”

“No private, this young man is from a family of high moral caliber and was brought up to have decorum, not to have trysts with soldiers in the middle of the night. And also, does this look like a consenting party to you?” asked Kaecilius gesturing to the distraught omega sitting against the wall. “Why would an upper class lord like him throw away everything for some lowly private like yourself?”

“Sir I’m—”

“No, no more excuses. Get yourself out of my sight. I will deal with you later.”

Private Weiss hurried off through a door and Kaecilius turned to Karl, offering a hand to help with him stand, which Karl took reluctantly. He really was tired of alphas touching him.

“Please accept my sincerest apologies my lord. That behavior displayed was unbecoming of a soldier of the Third Reich.”

“Oh well, no harm done,” said Karl, just desperately wanting to left alone.

“No,” said Kaecilius, “There is harm done. Your trust has been broken, and I must do something to make it up to you. I will go to your family in the morning and admit my failings and inform them that the officer has been dealt with.”

“That really isn’t necessary Lieutenant.”

Kaecilius smiled, “It is Colonel now. And my lord, I feel it is. I agreed to certain terms and I plan to uphold them.”

“Well alright, if you insist. Oh and congratulations.”

“Yes, we will have a celebration dinner in a few days. I’d love if you and your family joined us. And please don’t worry about my men, I will put the fear of God in them so they won’t even look at you wrong. They will be prefect gentlemen.”

“Well,” said Kaecilius, “Now that’s taken care of, may I ask why you were down here at this time of night?”

Karl explained how he had been hungry and had merely come downstairs for a late night snack. The Colonel smiled and said, “Well, let’s get you that snack.”

After putting a roll and an apple into his housecoat pocket Kaecilius walked Karl back to the stairs. Karl wished the soldier a goodnight but before he could turn to head upstairs, Kaecilius stopped him.

“My young lord, I would be most pleased if you would do me the honor of letting me have a dance at the party.”

Karl had had planned to feign illness to get out of the party, but he couldn’t exactly say no to the man who had just saved him from getting assaulted.

“Of course, sir, I look forward to it.”

A pleased twinkle shined in Kaecilius’ eye, “Excellent. Goodnight, my lord, sleep well.”

Once Karl was back in bed, he fell into a restless sleep for the rest of the night.

xxx

The next morning Karl was very anxious to go see Stephen and he fidgeted his way through breakfast. He has had worn his trousers that had particularly deep pockets and managed to sneak a scone into them when his family wasn’t looking. He still had the roll and the apple from last night but he wanted to make sure Stephen got as much food as he could provide him.

But his anxiety got the best of him and he knocked over a his tea cup onto the table soaking the frilly tablecloth and his mother demanded to know what was the matter with him this morning. He couldn’t exactly tell them about his hidden American so he sighed and told them about the events of last night. Kaecilius was going to tell them anyway, might as well get it out. Krowler was of course, furious. He jumped from his chair and began pacing the room.

“Where did he touch you?” demanded Krowler in a voice shaking with rage.

“Uh he just grabbed my arms and tried to kiss me but Colonel Kaecilus stopped him so—”

“Karl Amadeus Mordo, answer me truthfully, did you in anyway invite this behavior?”

“Father!” gasped Sara.

Karl’s hands clenched his knees and he stared determinedly up at his grandfather, “No grandfather, you must believe me. Three years we have been here, I have only ever been polite. Last night I was caught by surprise and accosted. I swear it on all I hold dear I did nothing to provoke it.”

Krowler took a deep breath and slowly sunk back into his chair. “I will not have you mated to a lowly soldier, do you hear me?”

“I understand grandfather.”

“What were you doing downstairs at that hour anyway, boy?”

“I was hungry, my growling stomach was keeping me awake.”

Krowler let out a laugh, “Is that why you have a scone in your pocket?”

Karl looked shocked and mortified that he had been seen and Krowler turned to Sara, “You still give him the suppressants once a month correct?”

“Yes, father, of course,” replied Sara.

“Mmm,” said Krowler, stroking his chin, “If not I would fear he was going into heat, his metabolism could be higher and his scent could’ve made that soldier behave that way.”

Karl bit his lip so hard he almost bloodied it.

After breakfast Karl threw on a jacket over his clothes. He didn’t need it, it was spring and the day warmed up fast especially in his greenhouse but he thought he could give it to Stephen to keep himself warm. Maybe he could sneak out a blanket but he would have to think what would be the best way to do so.

He tried to keep his pace steady as he walked to his greenhouse and luckily no soldiers stopped him. Actually, it looked as if they might be avoiding his eye on purpose. Probably Kaecilius’ doing.

He slipped into the greenhouse and immediately walked to the basement, running down the stairs.

“Stephen?” Karl asked in a harsh whisper. “Stephen are you okay?”

The lump on the cot in the middle of the dark room shifted, “Could be better, but I’m not dead, so if that’s your standard of okay, then yeah I’m okay.”

Karl could have crumpled to the floor in relief but instead made himself walk over and kneel down to light the lamp beside him. Stephen squeezed his eyes shut at the sudden light and Karl could see his face had a little more color in it than yesterday. Oh how he wished he could bring Stephen out into the light of day to get a good look at him.

Karl placed his hand over Stephen’s forehead and his own and sagged with a sigh, “Your fever broke.”

“All it took was a freezing cold night and some catnip. How about some tuna? I bet we could rustle up a mouse down here.”

“Do you Americans take anything seriously?”

“Just trying to lighten up the mood.”

“Well anyway,” said Karl, “I’m sorry you had to be down here in the cold, I tried to come and check on you. But I brought you my jacket, it may not fit but at least you can drape it over yourself.”

Stephen sat up his elbows, “What do you mean you tried to come and check on me? What happened?”

Karl was lucky Stephen couldn’t see the blood rush to his face, “Oh nothing, I almost got caught and ran back to my room.”

Stephen gave him skeptical look. “You know, you Europeans are lousy liars, you’d be absolute shit at poker. Now what happened?”

Karl sighed and recounted for the second time that morning what had happened as he stared down at his bended knees. When he looked back up Stephen’s face it was frozen in stony anger. For some reason, the thought of Stephen thinking he had invited danger upon himself hurt more than his grandfather thinking so.

“I didn’t incite it, I promise. I didn’t want that soldier to touch me.” Karl’s eyes were quickly filling up with tears. Over the last three years he had barely cried, over anything, but there was something about being in the dark, with this earnest American, that brought the emotions he had normally hid to a head.

“Of course you didn’t!”

Karl’s eyes widened and he brought a hand up to wipe away the tears.

“It was all on that fucking soldier. He touched you without your consent,” said Stephen.

“I didn’t exactly tell him no, Stephen.”

“Yeah because you were scared. But no no doesn’t mean a yes!”

Karl nodded but squeezed his eyes tight as the tears started to roll down his face fully, “He said they look at me, they talk about me. In vulgar and lewd ways. I’ve tried so hard Stephen, I’ve tried so hard to go by unnoticed all the years. But I’m still a fucking mouse in a lion’s den.” He let on a sob and covered his mouth with his hand.

By now Stephen was sitting up fully, “May I?” he asked softly.

Karl looked at him with watery eyes and saw that Stephen was holding out a bandaged hand. Karl nodded and Stephen wiped away the tears on Karl’s cheeks with his thumb. After he was done he held open his arms.

“Really?” laughed Karl in a weak voice.

“We Americans, we love a hug.”

Karl sank into his arms and inhaled his scent. Along with the usual bodily smells, he also had the smell of motor oil and fire, remnants of the crash.

Stephen rubbed circles into his back and let Karl just breathe for a moment.

“I could kill them all if you wanted me to,” said Stephen breaking the silence. Karl laughed, “Just you, a lone American, against a whole squadron of Germans?”

“Eh, you can help. You’re European you speak five” “six” “ _six_ languages, bet you can fence or something. Skewer a few Nazis, en garde!”

Karl smiled and pulled back from Stephen, looking the man in the eye, “How about we wait and see if your friends come and can help us instead?”

“Okay, let’s wait for backup then. Probably pretty useless with these hands anyway, I don’t know how many Nazis I could take out by just tackling.” Stephen held up his bloodied bandaged hands and waved them about.

“Yes,” said Karl, “And I’m afraid those could be infected.”

“Yeah, so how do you think you can get a hand on some antiseptic? And I really don’t want you being put in danger again, Karl.”

“Don’t worry, Stephen this time, I have a plan.”


	4. The Phoenix

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Karl sees to Stephen's wounds and has another run in with Kaecilius.

“It won’t be that bad of a scrape,” explained Karl, “Just enough to warrant needing some medicine.” Karl was currently holding up the large stone he used to prop open the greenhouse door on hot days over his thigh. He intended to scrape his skin enough that he would be given some antiseptic. He had washed Stephen’s hands and changed the bandages but the skin was still red enough to bother Karl and make him worry about infection. If Stephen got gangrene there was little he could do.

Stephen seemed to want to risk it though.

“I really don’t like this,” said the pilot, “There has to be another way.”

“Stephen it’ll be fine.”

“Why are you doing this anyway? For some soldier you just met?”

“I’m harboring you right under the enemy’s nose. I might as well keep you intact. Can’t send you home with pieces missing,” Karl paused, hesitant to pry into Stephen’s private life, “I bet you have a sweetheart at home, I’m doing this for them.” He spoke the line quickly and avoided eye contact with Stephen.

“Nah.”

Karl’s eyes shot back to the pilot, “What?”

“I don’t have a sweetheart. My parents are dead too. Had some friends, but I burned bridges a while ago. I’m about as ‘lone wolf’ as you can get.”

“What about Christine?” Karl asked, realizing too late that he was prying.

But Stephen laughed, “She’s an army doctor, stationed back in England. I got pneumonia when I was stationed there. She saw to me. How’d you know about her?”

Karl fidgeted, “You were mumbling about her in your fever haze.”

“Was I? She was pretty but not really my type. Don’t go for a lot of alpha females.”

Karl wanted to ask if you liked omega males instead but bit his tongue, instead going back to the task at hand.

“Okay, no more talking, I’m going to do it on the count of three. One, two, three!”

Karl brought the rock down on his thigh and he let out a short yelp.

xxx

“And what happened here, my young lord?” asked the army physician. Karl was currently sitting on a cot in what used to be a ballroom. There were curtains separating him from the soldiers recovering in beds. Karl used to run through this room with some of the servant children in their socked feet, seeing how far they could slide.

“I turned too quickly in my greenhouse, sir. I tripped over a pot and fell. I scraped my leg along the edge of the table.”

“Ah, doesn’t sound too bad. How about you take off your trousers and let me have a look?”

Karl fidgeted on the cot, squeezing his knees. He had slightly ripped his trousers when he caused the wound, but his thigh was not fully exposed, just reddened skin showing through the runs he had created. “Please sir. If it does not trouble you, could I take some of the antiseptic and I apply it myself?”

The doctor tutted and shook his head, “I would really like to examine the wound to make sure it gets bandaged correctly.”

Karl was starting to feel genuine discomfort. He had chosen the location on his body partly for its intimacy but he was starting to realize he really didn’t want anyone’s hand there. For all he knew this doctor was one of the scum ogling him. He would have to put his foot done.

“No, no sir. I would rather not allow you, nor anyone else, to touch me there. I would like some of the medicine, you can tell me how to apply it best, and a bandage and then I will be on my way.” Karl’s voice held but he was still shaking slightly.

Now the doctor looked uncomfortable, looking from side to side and finally bending over to talk to Karl in a whisper. “I am a beta you know, I’m not going to touch you in an inappropriate manner. I can control myself better than that. And I have a wife at home.”

Karl simply glared back up at him. “That may all be well and good, but if you aren’t going to give me the medicine then I will have to go to Colonel Kaecilius.”

The doctor stepped back, his eyes wide with fear. So Kaecilius had spoken with his men about staying away from Karl. The doctor knew he could be toying with danger.

Karl smiled up at the slightly panicked-looking man’s face. “Now could have that antiseptic please?”

xxx

“Hold still!” snapped Karl as he dabbed Stephen’s wounds with a cloth dipped in the antiseptic.

Stephen hissed in response, “Sorry.”

Karl continued, squinting in the dark at the injured hands. “I would give anything to get you out of this dark place,” said Karl, “Take a look at your hands with more light than a kerosene lamp can provide. Do they hurt more than just because of the cuts?”

“Yeah my left pinkie and my right index finger hurt to bend.”

“I’ll have to splint them.”

“You aren’t going to have to hurt yourself again for me are you?” grumbled Stephen.

“Oh stop, please. It worked didn’t it? I applied some to my leg and wrapped it. I’ll be fine. And no, I have some small stakes upstairs and some twine, I can use those to splint them. You’ll need working hands to fly again.” Karl stood up from the stool he had been sitting on while Stephen sat on his cot and jogged upstairs and quickly came back with the materials before sitting down again.

Stephen chuckled as he watched Karl line up the stakes and start to wrap them, “Do you think I’ll be flying again? I mean what if I have nerve damage?”

Karl let silence fall as worked, thinking about his answer. Eventually he took a deep breath and started to speak, “My father once had a prize falcon named Archimedes, he kept it at falconry in Bucharest, letting only the utmost experts look after him in his stead. He loved that bird, took it out hunting almost every weekend. He literally wrote poetry about that bird. But one day when he was out hunting Archimedes was attacked by a much larger hawk. He had lost so many feathers and his wing was horribly mangled, he was alive but everyone told us he would never fly again. That he had no worth. My grandfather suggested killing him and mounting him over the fireplace. Said if he’s to just be a trophy he might as well not be a mouth to feed.”

“Your grandfather sounds…not very nice, if I’m being honest,” said Stephen cautiously.

“It’s okay, you’re right, he isn’t” said Karl before continuing, “But anyway my father wouldn’t accept that. He worked tirelessly, consulting with expert after expert, anyone who would give him hope. In the end, he was able commission a type of splint from some sort of kite builder. It made it so Archimedes could fly again, but he would never be coordinated enough again to hunt. Couldn’t handle the grand swooping and diving motions that are necessary for catching prey. Nevertheless, my father didn’t care if his falcon fit its original purpose, it’s not like we ate the meat he caught anyway. He wrote a five page poem called the ‘The Speckled-Feathered Phoenix’ to celebrate Archimedes taking back to the air. He read it aloud in one of Bucharest’s most lavish coffeehouses with Archimedes perched on his arm. One of his proudest moments.” Karl finished up the bandages up, “There, you go, you’re set.”

“Your father sounds interesting. My dad just loved an old farm dog when he was young, used to mention it sometimes and get misty-eyed. He wasn’t the poetry-writing type though.”

“Yes he was quite the character,” said Karl, “He was just, unapologetically himself. Didn’t deny his true character to please those around him. We used to spend Sunday afternoons in the Șerban Vodă Cemetery, his grandmother is buried there. We’d put flowers on her headstone and then walk around quietly making up stories about the other people who were buried there. I know it was rather sacrilegious, but he would just say, ‘Karl, so many writers are buried here, they understand.’”

Karl smiled to himself, thinking of those walks with his father. Stephen shifted on his cot, “How did he die?”

“Oh! He’s not dead. At least I don’t think so.”

“I’m sorry, you were just talking about him in past tense, so I just thought, you know, the war had got him.”

“Well, it certainly took him away from me,” said Karl, “He was able to escape to England, we were supposed to follow but it was too late. It’s just me and my grandfather and mother here.”

Stephen nodded, having heard many horror stories of families being separated because of the Nazi invasion. “Well about this bird of his. Am I Archimedes then? The Speckled-Feather Phoenix?”

Karl looked down at his folded hands in his lap, “I just thought, um, even if you can’t fly again for the army, even if your hands are damaged beyond repair, this isn’t the end. You’ll fly again, even if it’s not…literally. Find a new purpose….” Karl slapped his uninjured thigh in frustration, “Oh I’m not very good at this. My father was—is the poet of the family.”

Stephen laughed and reached forward, wrapping his unsplinted fingers around Karl’s hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze, “No, I understand. Thank you.”

They sat there quietly for a moment, letting the silence drape over them. Karl enjoyed warmth of Stephen’s bandaged hand in his. He let his thumb rub back and forth against Stephen’s.

Finally Stephen broke the silence, “Karl?”

“Yes?”

“The war is ending, I swear to you, my people are going to win this thing.”

Karl nodded and gave him a reassuring smile.

“And when it does I’m getting out of here. I’m gonna fly away, even if it’s not me in the pilot’s seat.”

Tears sprung to Karl’s eyes, he wanted to get out of here so badly. And even though his situation was dire, Karl was a bit jealous of Stephen. Stephen may not have a family, but his home had not been riddled with bombshells.

“And when I do, you’re going with me. I’m gonna take you to your father.”

Karl was speechless for a moment before words came fumbling out, “But Stephen what about my family…I can’t just—”

Stephen held up a hand. “Shhh, let me have this Karl. I need something to look forward to.” Stephen coughed and looked away, wanting to change the subject, “Anyway, you know any of that poem?”

Karl let his protests rest and smiled, “Of course, I have a copy of it here and it’s one of my favorites.” The omega stood up and held out his bent arm in front of him, pretending to have a hooded falcon perched upon it _. “Oh noble winged beast of the air / soaring upon the breeze without a care---_

xxx

Midafternoon Karl Mordo was walking back to the house with a spring in his step. His charge was no longer in danger of losing his hands, and he let his mind wander. He couldn’t stop thinking about what Stephen had said, about how he would take him away from here. It was almost like out of a story, the alpha coming and taking the omega away from their place of unhappiness and riding off into the sunset. Even though it was completely unrealistic, he had an image of being on the back of a motorcycle, his arms encircling Stephen’s waist, his face pressed into Stephen’s back, as they sped down the country roads towards the West. Towards England. Towards his father. Towards freedom.

“Now what has put that smile on your face today young lord?”

Karl gasped and spun around to see Colonel Kaecilius walking up towards him along the side of the house. “Oh sorry, Colonel, I was lost in daydreams.”

Kaecilius smiled as he came to stand beside him. “I didn’t know you to be one to do that. You normally have such a serious look upon your face.”

Karl had to bite his tongue to not tell him that Kaecilius didn’t exactly know him. He wasn’t his friend. He was more like his captor.

“I’m reading a practically good book, Colonel. I was just thinking about it, is all.”

“Ah a love story?”

“Uh yes.”

Kaecilius chuckled, “Of course, that’s all omegas can think about right? Being swept off their feet by handsome alphas?”

Karl would feel insulted if he hadn’t just been thinking about that. Instead he just smiled.

“Well anyway,” continued Kaecilius, “Maybe you should let me borrow it, I could use a little romance in these times.” He gave Karl a soft look that made the omega’s hair stand on end. He knew he when he was being flirted with. “But moving on, my lord, how is your leg?”

Karl was grateful for the change of subject, “Oh it’s fine, it was just a scrape.”

“The doctor told me you were quite _sensitive_ about being examined, not tell me, you still aren’t reeling from the incident last night are you? Let me assure you, you will not be seeing the officer again and the others wouldn’t dare approach you in such a way.”

“Yes thank you, Colonel. I appreciate that. Now I must get going, I think my mother needed my help with some cleaning.”

Before Karl could walk away though, Kaecilius called out, “My lord aren’t you forgetting something?”

Karl turned back to him, looking confused,“No, I don’t think so?”

“Your jacket.”

Karl’s stomach plummeted. He had left his jacket with Stephen to help keep him warm tonight. He never imagined anyone would notice that was returning to the house without it. “My jacket?”

“I saw you walk by with it on earlier. I thought you looked quite fetching in it and I think you may have forgotten it in your greenhouse,” replied Kaecilius.

“Ah, yes, I must have. No problem, I’ll get it tomorrow.”

“You seem to really like it in the greenhouse, my lord. You’ve been spending even more time in there than usual.”

“Well it is spring, a busy time with the plants. And I like it, it’s nice and private,” said Karl trying his best not to sound nervous.

“Yes, that is true,” said Kaecilius, “Still I hope you would give me a tour of it, I’d like to see everything in bloom.”

Karl was not the best at reading people, especially alphas. He couldn’t for the life of him tell if Kaecilius as flirting or was suspicious of what he was hiding. But Karl was desperate not to appear like he didn’t want anyone coming in there, “Yes sir, it would be my pleasure to show off my hard work.”

“And it would be my pleasure to see it,” said Kaecilius, “Now go on, I have kept you much too long.”

Before Karl could get out of his sight though the alpha called out one last time. “Oh one more thing Karl!”

Karl stopped and looked back, Kaecilius had never used his name before.

“I am looking forward to that dance in a few days.”

Karl nodded and turned back around, fleeing with his mind reeling with worry.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The ball is up next! Are you excited? And Wong will be coming along too :)
> 
> So I'm starting a new job on Monday and while I hope to get the next chapter out before then, my updating may slow down after that.


	5. The Visit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Karl has another run in with Kaecilius and then heads into town to run an errand.

The day before the dance came sooner than Karl had anticipated; he had been rather busy after all. Stephen was recovering in a fine fashion and was becoming rather itchy about being cooped up all day long. Karl had managed to sneak him some kerosene and few books, but he could tell Stephen needed some sunlight. The windows into the greenhouse weren’t very transparent, but Karl was so terrified of even trying to sneak Stephen up there, worried that some nosy soldier may notice the two silhouettes. 

Stephen had requested some spare pieces of wood and a knife and had carved a basic chess set. Karl had prided himself in his chess abilities but Stephen had been a surprisingly good match for the Romanian. Karl assumed that Americans weren’t a chess playing people, but Stephen had explained that his late mother had been fond of the game, had even been good enough to compete in her younger years, and had taught him. Karl had set cross-legged on the dirt floor, the old painted cloth they used as a board laid out in front of them illuminated in the weak lamp light.

 Karl would occasionally peek at Stephen as he concentrated on his next move, Stephen’s small light eyes narrowed and his tongue sticking out slightly to the side. His high cheekbones made sharper in the dim light. It was such an adorable sight and Karl could feel his heart speed up a little.

But there were only so many games of chess that Karl could play with Stephen to keep him from going insane. Stephen told him not to worry about it, he wasn’t being worked to death and starved like he would be in a German POW camp, he could deal with a bit of boredom. But Karl still thought he could change up the situation.

Unfortunately the decision was made for him though, because that day Karl climbed up the stairs from the basement of the greenhouse to find that his greenhouse wasn’t empty. Karl swung open the door and was greeted with the sight of a certain Colonel looking over Karl’s tomato plants.

Karl gasped and stepped back, “Col—Colonel Kaecilius, um, how long have you been here?”

Kaecilius turned and regarded him with a warm look, “Oh not long, I was just doing some rounds and wanted to see how you were doing. And I didn’t see you in here and I got confused because I remember seeing you head out this morning. I stopped in to make sure you were okay. I worry about you, an omega out here alone all day on the edge of the woods and all.”

In another life, Karl would have pushed him out and yelled at him to leave him alone and stop giving him this attention.  Karl had started to feel Kaecilius’ eyes on him at all times it seemed and the attention was starting to make Karl’s nerves bristle. Even if he didn’t have an enormous secret, Karl would’ve tried his best to avoid the Colonel. Hell even if he had met the man in at school or at a Bucharest coffeehouse he would have been repelled. He reminded Karl of the alphas his mother had pushed upon him for a time, charming and perfect gentlemen, but still coming off like it’s all an act. Like once the object of their desires turns around their mask will fall and their true nature will be revealed.

But he was not in Bucharest, he was in Nazi occupied-France and he had people he was desperate to protect, so he would have to be polite to this alpha because their wellbeing depended on it.

“Thank you for your concern, Colonel. I was just downstairs sorting through some boxes. It’s rather dusty down there, but I wanted to see if we had anything useful packed away.” Karl wanted to address that had had been downstairs immediately and get that out of the way and although Karl did not believe in a higher power, he couldn’t help but desperately pray that their voices had not been loud enough to hear through the floor.

“And?”

Kaecilius’ voice propelled Karl out of his panic, “And what?”

“Did you find anything useful?”

“Oh! No, just old pieces of fence and some broken pots and the like. Maybe some material we can find a use for later but I don’t know what I could use them for now.”

Kaecilius smiled and raised his eyebrows, “Are you sure that’s all you were doing down there?”

Karl’s heart was trying to pound its way out of his chest and he was having a difficult time controlling his breathing. If Stephen was discovered he’s not sure what would happen. Stephen would surely be taken away to be interrogated and then probably wouldn’t survive the conditions at the camp or the torture. Karl would probably be sent to Berlin for a trial. Consequences for omegas who lied to the state would be harsh, he’d probably be forcibly bonded to some official who was desirous for an omega male, but in the very least his life wasn’t in danger. It was Stephen’s well-fair he was concerned for.

“Um yes?” Karl’s mouth had dried and his words came out in a croak.

Kaecilius shook his head and approached Karl, grabbing his shoulder in a firm grip. Karl stiffened, ready to be hauled downstairs, where Stephen would look up in shock and then be dragged off to his doom. ‘I’m so sorry, Stephen,’ thought Karl.

“I understand you need your privacy, Master Mordo. And you have been denied that all these years, you I know omegas have…needs.”

Karl’s eyes widened, this conservation wasn’t going at all like he thought it would.

“All those years,” continued Kaecilius, “Having to be in such tight quarters with your family, only allotted this glass house as your one sanctuary. Karl, that is quite cruel. I am an army man, I know the measures one must take to,” the Colonel leaned forward and said in a whisper, “find release in privacy.”

Karl’s face was the picture of pure shock. He had never seen the Colonel as a crass man, but his words towards Karl were completely and utterly inappropriate. His mother would have choked on her tea ten times over if she had been in the room with them.

Unfortunately, there was nothing Karl could do, if the Colonel wanted to live under the delusion that he was masturbating in the basement of his greenhouse, he would have to play along. No matter how disgusting it made him feel.

“Well, um, please don’t tell—”

The hand from his shoulder was removed and Karl jumped when it was placed on his cheek, “Karl your face is burning, and your lovely dark skin is damp! There is nothing to be embarrassed about at all. It’s all perfectly natural.”

“Yes,” was all Karl could get out and his eyes fell to the floor in embarrassment.

Kaecilius’ hand came back to the shoulder and gave him a reassuring pat. “Well I must run along, can’t leave these boys to their own devices, or they’ll be doing the same as you! And once again, I am looking forward to the dance. It’s a masquerade but I hope it doesn’t cover too much of your face, though I will know those dark eyes anywhere. Good afternoon, Karl.”

“Good afternoon, sir.”

Kaecilius, “Please Karl, call me Kaecilius, I like to think we are friends.”

“Okay…Kaecilius.”

With that the Colonel flashed him a smile and marched out the door.

Karl waited until the man wasn’t visible anymore before lunging and grabbing an empty pot from the counter and vomiting up the contents of his breakfast into it. Once he was done gagging he slumped to the floor and rubbed away any residue on his mouth with his sleeve. Sobs erupted from his body.

He wanted nothing more to run downstairs and launch himself at Stephen, but he knew he couldn’t risk it. He couldn’t bear to think about putting Stephen in that kind of danger again just because he was desperate for comfort.

He also knew that this hiding spot wasn’t safe for Stephen anymore, his visits into the basement had been noticed. Karl would need to move him elsewhere, and luckily he had an idea of how to do it.

xxx

The next morning Sara tasked Karl to go into town for some last minute items to prepare for the dance that night. Her formal wear was old and worn and she had need of a bit of thread and lace to spruce it up. Krowler had of course scoffed at what he saw as pettiness but Karl had readily agreed to run the errand. He wanted to see his mother happy and he knew balls were where she was most in her element. And after the traumatizing events of yesterday, he needed to escape, even for just an hour. He would be visiting Stephen later to inform him of the plan to get him out of the greenhouse.

Karl didn’t waste any time jumping on his old rickety bike. He kept his eyes on the ground, terrified that he would look up and meet Kaecilius’. Fairly soon he was out on the open lane towards town.

For all of the many sorrowful years under Nazi occupation, the surrounding countryside was still beautiful. Rolling hills with long grasses swaying in the breeze, bright open blue sky with fluffy white clouds lazily drifting across the horizon. If Karl let his mind go, he could imagine he was running into town for some butter and they were merely visiting for the summer. They could get back on the train to Bucharest at any point.

Before Stephen tremendously crashed into his life, he would give into the daydreaming, but there was too much on his mind of late. As he cycled into town he kept going over and over what he needed to do that night.

Karl pulled up to a small store, one of the few still operating in the small town. Many had closed up shop because their owners either fled, were deported or just couldn’t get the supplies to keep their businesses operational. Wong’s store had been more a general store though and he had been able to keep enough food and small items in stock so that the town’s folk could fill their ration cards. Karl was grateful, he had visited the store before the war and he liked Wong, he would have hated to see the man’s hard work fall into ruin.

The bell above the door rang as Karl stepped through and behind the counter a portly man of Chinese ethnicity turned to regard him with a wide smile. He was dressed very smartly, in a pressed long-sleeved white shirt and a pin-striped navy waistcoat, a pocket watch chain visible and glasses perched on his nose. Karl, in his loose slacks and button-up shirt felt rather underdressed. “Mordo, hello, what brings you in today?” As many times as Karl had told him to call him by his first name, Wong insisted on being formal.

“Hello Wong, how are things?”

“Eh, about the same as they have been the last three years, though if you’ve come in for flour, sorry we are out until Wednesday. The storm last fall lightened up the wheat harvest so it’s been scarcer than usual.”

Karl shook his head, “No, our flour stores are okay. I came to see you about thread, maybe some lace, or I don’t know, small decorative sewing pieces?”

“Wanting to liven up your wardrobe Mordo?” Wong teased with a smirk.

“It’s for my mother,” Karl replied with an eye roll, “There is a ball tonight and she wanted to make some last minute additions to her old frocks. Try to make them seem new again.”

“Yeah I bet back in the day she used to run out and get a new gown for every occasion,” Wong said followed by a sigh, “The way you nobility live.” He walked back and started to rummage around for some items that might fit Karl’s need.

“Well now we must wear our clothes over and over until they fall apart,” said Karl.

Wong came forward with a few items, spools of thread and ribbons, jars of small glass jewels and carved buttons, and placed them on the counter for Karl to inspect. “Suits my business. I guess in Budapest you’d be going to some fancy tailor when you needed some alterations.”

“It’s Bucharest and you know it,” said Karl looking closely at each piece, thinking hard about what his mother would like. “And yes my mother did have a personal seamstress, she was quite distressed that she’d have to use her sewing skills for something other than needlepoint when we let most of the staff go.”

“I imagine that came as quite the shock.”

They lapsed into a comfortable silence, Karl considering the merchandise and Wong polishing his glasses. A clock behind the counter chimed softly.

“So, what’s the ball for?”

Karl looked up and saw that Wong was looking down at his hands still rubbing his glasses’ lenses with a cloth.

“The commanding officer got a promotion.”

“Did he now? Wow that is a momentous occasion indeed.”

“Yes, it’s going to be a masquerade ball. Though I’m interested to see what the other officers wear.”

“I’m sure they’ll somehow manage to look immaculate, that’s the Germans for you.” Karl could tell Wong was not being sincere, his words were not said with a smile and his voice dripped with sarcasm. Wong had never been good at hiding his disdain for the Nazis, but they couldn’t exactly arrest him for simply not liking them. Plus the town needed his service, their precious Third Reich would be nothing if the people in it all starved to death.

“Well that certainly sounds fun,” said Wong as he took the items that Karl had set aside and went to replace them on the shelves. “Oh and by the way, did you hear anything about that explosion a couple of weeks back? Sounded like it was in your area.”

Karl almost dropped the fake jewel he was inspecting but quickly gathered himself. He was grateful that Wong’s back was turned, “What about it? I was sleeping when it happened, but Mother and Marguerite were awoken by it. That is all I heard.”

“Ah, alright then,” said Wong returning to the counter, and focusing on a small pile of receipts “Thought maybe you might have found out more about it. It was all the people around here could talk about. Madame Laurent, she comes in here on Tuesdays for eggs, was convinced it was an American bomber, ranted about it to everyone who would listen. Can you believe that?” Wong’s eyes peeked up at Mordo’s before returning back to the receipts.

Karl didn’t like the direction the conversation had gone. It was getting much too personal and Karl couldn’t let on that he knew a single detail. He had to remain the clueless, helpless omega that knew nothing. He would play as dumb as he could if it kept Stephen safe.

“I didn’t hear anything about that, Wong. There was some commotion the next morning, but they cleared up whatever it was.” He felt he could trust Wong, but he wasn’t taking any chances. There was no way he could fathom Wong being in league with the Nazis, but his secrets were too precious to reveal on what could be just idle gossip. And Wong the shopkeeper could not help him anyway. He was alone on his mission, and he would remain that way.

“Oh well then, the mystery remains unsolved. Sometimes I miss the days we knew everything around here. A cat couldn’t sneeze without one of the old church ladies coming in here and talking about it.”

They continued to make small talk and Wong went and rang up Karl’s small purchases but when Karl reached a hand forward with the bank notes, Wong grabbed his sleeve and leaned forward, eyes drilling into his.

“It’s going to be okay, Mordo. Don’t lose hope, whatever you do, don’t lose hope.”

Wong and Karl had a light-hearted friendship, full of jokes and teasing, such severity felt ominous and Karl felt a pit form in his stomach. Before Karl could gather his senses and ask for clarification though, Wong had made change and handed it to him with the brown bag holding his purchases and the door had opened with a ring for another customer, who Wong had greeted and got to assisting.

Karl walked stiffly out the door, barely acknowledging Wong’s goodbye and clambered onto his bike.

Karl couldn’t help but feel that he had gotten way in over his head and he desperately hoped Wong was right.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait guys! I'm settled into my job though so updates should be more regular again. And I know I know, I lied about the ball being in this chapter but I really just wanted to get a chapter out and I thought it'd do better by itself.


	6. The Ball

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The night of the ball has finally arrived

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is what Mordo wears to the ball: http://freedomplus.eu/dacartshop/40-home_default/romanian-traditional-costume.jpg

Karl couldn’t let Wong’s odd behavior weigh on him for very long though, as the rest of the afternoon was a flurry of preparation for the ball. Sara had been delighted at Karl’s choices of additions to her gown and had kissed him the cheek, saying he was a natural at this and would be an excellent host one day himself, before running off to make her alterations.

Karl was of course happy to see his mother pleased, but frowned at her statement. Many male omegas chose to wear gowns and blouses and skirts just as many female alphas wore suits and boots, but Karl was not one of those omegas. He couldn’t imagine being mated to an alpha that would require that of him. It sent shivers down his spine.

But of course Karl was quickly back to being busy finishing his preparations for tonight so he could put his plans in order.

Karl packed a sack of the things he needed to spirit Stephen out of the greenhouse and stuffed it under his bed before moving back to his outfit for the night. He laid the outfit carefully out on his bed, fiddling with the brocade on the jacket, remembering the last time he had worn his traditional Romanian formal wear.

It had been to a dinner years ago that his mother had orchestrated with a high-born alpha and his family. Karl had reluctantly gone, the son was said to be very handsome so he was a tad bit curious, with his parents and it wasn’t long after they had sat down to soup that the mother of the family had been making snide comments about Karl’s looks and his education and background. The prospective alpha, and his trio of spoiled, bratty-looking sisters, had all giggled into their napkins at their mother’s comments. Their bone-headed father was too distracted making a side-eye at the serving boy to notice. Meanwhile, Karl’s father, Nikolai was practically vibrating with rage, but before he could say anything, the table clattered as a chair was shoved back.

Sara Mordo was on her feet seething. “Madame! I took you to be a high born lady of class, interested in matching our children, but it seems I was mistaken. You are a vile, repulsive creature! And I will not have my child in your imbecile son’s presence for a minute longer, nevermind as a potential candidate for a mate. I will not sit here and be insulted by such a lesser breed of people, so we are going. Karl, Nikolai, come along.”

See had marched out of the door and they had piled back into their automobile. Both were shocked when Sara had gotten into the driver side. Nikolai had taught her to drive during a stay at the summer house, but it wasn’t really something she considered proper for a beta woman of her standing. Nikolai had asked if she would rather have him drive and Sara had merely turned with a tight smile and replied, “My dear, I fear if I do not keep my hands busy I may punch something.”

On the drive home Nikolai had instead sat in the back with Karl’s hand tight in his. Karl had gone immediately up to his bedroom, carefully took off his ornate clothes, crawled into bed and silently wept until Tomas came and curled up by his head, his purring comforting Karl into sleep.

That was the last suitor he saw before they fled Bucharest.

Karl’s memories were interrupted with a knock on the door. When he responded his mother stuck her head in, “Hello my dear, how are things coming along?”

“Just fine mother, I was about to get dressed, is everything alright?”

“Yes, yes, I just,” Sara walked into the room and carefully shut the door behind her. She was wearing her dressing gown and had her hair done up already. It was nothing like the intricate fashions she had had when she had a serving lady to help her but she was self-sufficient enough. She had been liberal with the precious little make-up she had too and the full lips she had passed on to Karl shone a beautiful shade of red. “I need to give you this.” She reached into her pocket and opened her hand to reveal a small white pill, Karl’s suppressant.

Karl gave her a confused look, “Tomorrow in the first day of the month, mother. It’s a day early.” Normally his mother gave him the pill at breakfast with his grandfather.

“Yes, I know, but I mean tonight will be very active and busy and I was afraid it could be forgotten. You can be off by a day with suppressants anyway, the schedule doesn’t need to be that strict.” She plucked the pill from her palm and placed it in Karl’s hand, before walking over to the pitcher of water kept on Karl’s side table. She poured a small glass and walked back to him. “Here you go my love.”

Karl swallowed the pill dutifully and gave his mother a reassuring smile. Sara brought her hand up to his cheek, her thumb stroking his cheekbone.

She walked to the door but before exiting she turned back to her son. “Karl, you know I love you right? That I would do anything to protect you?”

Karl nodded, “Yes mother.” She had said the same thing many times throughout their eyes of captivity.

Sara smiled and turned and left the room and Karl went back to getting dressed and tried not to think about the fact that his mother’s hands had shook the whole time she had been talking to him.

xxx

Karl looked splendid walking down the main staircase of their home with his mother on his arm and his grandfather following solemnly behind them. Krowler had not been thrilled at the idea of a dance but there would be plenty of military officials willing to give him a cigar or two so he didn’t have much to complain about.

At the bottom of the stairs was Colonel Kaecilius, with his hair slicked back and in his best tailored uniform. He looked the part of the gentlemanly soldier but all Karl could see was the man that had admitted that he thought of the omega touching himself. Karl’s stomach tightened up at the sight of his brilliant smile.

Luckily after greeting the family he offered his arm to Sara and not to Karl, which Sara accepted gladly. Karl was relieved that he wouldn’t have to face all of Kaecilius’ undivided attention that night.

His hopes were dashed though, when a young officer who was acting as a butler for the night seated him right next to the Colonel at the dining room table. They would first have dinner before moving onto the ballroom for dancing.

Karl gave Kaecilius a polite nod as the alpha sat down next to him. “Good evening Colonel.”

“Good evening Karl, my my, you look a sight tonight. That jacket you are wearing is marvelous. Are those traditional Romanian clothes?”

“Yes, sir.”

“I should’ve made a trip to Bucharest years ago. Those clothing are so flattering to your figure.”

There it was. More comments proving that Kaecilius had been watching him, that he would be raking his eyes over Karl all night. It would be a long night.

“Thank you, Colonel,” replied Karl, “You look very handsome.”

Kaecilius’ face bloomed into a smile, “Now Karl, remember what I told you to call me.”

“Yes, sir, uh Kaecilius.”

“Good, now,” a soldier came around serving some wine. Karl had not had wine in years and the dark purple liquid in the glass in front of him looked like a relic of a time gone by. Kaecilius lifted his glass and motioned that Karl did the same. “Let’s toast to our friendship. May it endure.”

Karl raised his glass to Kaecilius, not saying anything. The omega didn’t think when the alpha said ‘friendship’ that he was actually referring to being friends. Karl had never given any of his friends such heated looks. He tentatively clinked his glass against Kaecilius’ who let out a happy, “To friendship!” To emphasize the statement he reached over and squeezed Karl’s knee, letting his fingers linger a little too long before drawing his hand away.

Luckily the alpha didn’t bother trying to engage him any further for the moment and turned to greet the officer sitting on his other side and Karl was left to fiddle with the napkin in his lap.

If Karl had looked up at that moment though he would’ve seen the sharp eyes of his grandfather watching his interactions with the alpha intently before digging to his soup.

Dinner went swiftly with a few speeches peppered throughout it about Kaecilius’ expletory military service and how well he had run the base through these long years. Many jokes were made and Kaecilius reminded them to remember they were gentlemen of the Third Reich and they needed to watch their tongues in front of a lady and an omega.

When they had finished their modest dessert, sugar was hard to come by but the cook had thrown together some fruity pudding, they stood to go to the ballroom. As everyone moved to the door, they stopped when Karl let out a gasp. They all turned to look at the distressed omega.

“Sir—Kaecilius, I am so sorry, I made you a gift and I’ve forgotten it in my room. Please, everyone go on to the ballroom, I will go and fetch it. Now excuse me.”

Karl didn’t let anyone argue before he marched out the door determinedly and ran back up the stairs to his family’s quarters. Quickly, he ran into his room he grabbed the sack from under his bed and went back downstairs, this time going down the back way and avoiding the main staircase.

Once he was outside, there were a couple of soldiers on guard duty, smoking and chatting. They perked up when they say Karl walk out into the night air in his finery.

“Young lord what brings you out so late?” The two man let their eyes openly scan his body up and down and the words of Private Weiss rang through his head once more. He controlled his expression though and gave the man a smile, “I need to run to my greenhouse, I was growing something to present to the Colonel and completely forgot about it.”

“Oh I will accompany you—”

“No need, Private, I have my torch” Karl held up the burlap sack which did not hold a torch. “I just need to prepare it with the other supplies I brought and I will be back really soon, I promise.”

The two soldiers looked at each other, they obviously didn’t want the omega running out into the night by himself. The fact that their Colonel had shown interest in said omega and would be furious if anything happened to him didn’t help things. “Uh, Sir, I’m not sure if that’s a good idea,” one said nervously.

“I promise I have no deadly plants in there with me, I’ll be fine, I will be back in just a moment. Here take this, it’s not fair you don’t get to join in the celebration with everyone else.” Karl handed them a small bottle of brandy that he had smuggled out of his grandfather’s private collection. The soldiers knew a bribe when they saw one and figured the omega could take care of himself and thanked him and went back to their cigarettes, spiriting the bottle into one of their jacket pockets. Karl was able to then freely march off towards his greenhouse.

He shoved open the door and rushed to the basement where he found Stephen reading by dim kerosene light. “Stephen, get up, we have to get you changed.”

Stephen was on his feet in a moment and once he turned around to look at Karl his mouth was hanging open. Karl was taking the items from his bag and turned to regard the shocked American with a quirked eyebrow. “What is it?”

“Karl, your outfit, you look, wow,” Stephen stumbled out. His flattery was much less elegant than Kaecilius’ but had a much more desired effect as Karl’s face heated up.

“What these old things?” asked Karl sheepishly.

“You look like a fairy tale prince or something,” said Stephen, “Am I the fair maiden you’ve come to save in the dark tower?”

“Don’t be silly you’re an alpha, it’s never the alpha who needs saving,” said Karl.

“I mean, so far, you’ve done the most saving here. Maybe our story isn’t really quite that conventional.”

The words ‘our story’ rang through his head. He liked the sound of that. Sharing a story with something, an adventure, a life. He shook it off though and continued on with his plan.

“Stephen, I didn’t come here to talk, you need to leave tonight.”

Stephen’s eyes widened and his shoulders fell, his face forming a frown, “It’s become too dangerous for you hasn’t it? I thought this day would come. I guess you’ve brought me a change of clothes and supplies, don’t worry. I will flee and you’ll be safe.”

“Stephen!” snapped Karl, “No, that’s not what I meant, I mean you need to leave the greenhouse. It’s become too suspicious to keep you here. I need to move you into the main house.”

Stephen was clearly trying not to look too relieved that Karl wasn’t just tossing him out, but he still frowned, “Right into the viper’s nest?”

Karl shook his head, “The Germans never visit my family’s quarters and we have an unused portion of attic that was used a sort of playroom when I was growing up. I could come and visit you in the middle of the night much more safely there. I even have the key to it.” Karl slipped out an old-fashioned key from his pocket and held it up in the light.

Stephen’s feet shuffled in the dirt, unsure of the plan, “I don’t know Karl, I feel like I would put you in more danger, at least here we could pretend that I was here with you unawares if I was caught.”

Karl shook his head, “No the Colonel already knows I come down here, the result would be the same.”

“I still don’t think—”

“There’s a window, you wouldn’t have to be permanently in the dark.”

Stephen deflated, being tempted too much by the prospect of sunlight, “Okay what’s the plan?”

When Karl had found out that the dance was to be a masquerade, the cogs in his mind had started turning. If he was going to bring Stephen out of his dungeon this was the best time to do it.

He threw the items from the bag at Stephen. “Here quickly put these on.”

xxx

The soldiers outside the house were happy to see Karl coming back through the darkness but were perplexed to see he wasn’t alone.

“See I told you I’d be alright,” called Karl out to him, “And I ran into one of your fellow soldiers lying in wait to pull a prank on one of you. His costume is quite ingenious.”

There stood Stephen next to Karl, his face covered in a mask that would have made a fragile young child cry from just the sight of it. It had horns and a long red tongue and his eyes were shadowed a ring of bright red feathers. If they looked closely enough they could discern that his eyes were a distinct pale blue, but his eye color was not a rarity among the Nazis.

He was wearing a dark cloak over a plain pair of military trousers and his hands were covered in gloves with pits of broken pottery sewn onto them meant to resemble claws. Karl had worked late into the night in order create the costume with the paper, cardboard, glue, paint, and one unfortunate down pillow he had available. He was proud of the disguise he had come up with.

The soldiers eyed the creature suspiciously. “Who are—”

“He’s Krampus of course! Come much too early! Now we must get going to the dance, Colonel Kaecilius will be concerned about me and this fellow needs to go and terrorize some naughty boys who haven’t done their chores. Come along Krampus.”

Karl ushered Stephen in through the back door and directed him through the hallway to the back servants’ stairs. The plan was to get Stephen to the nursery as fast as possible without being seen. Karl had already explained the route they must take to get there and had made Stephen repeat it back to him several times.

They were rushing down the hallway that would lead to his family’s private quarters when a door sprang open. This hallway was lined with offices and bedrooms occupied by the Nazis and it seemed that not everyone was in the ballroom yet. With lightning fast movements, Karl had thrown open the door to a small closet to his right and pushed Stephen inside, following behind him. He managed to close the door right before the hallway was filled with drunken laughter.

Karl was face to face with Stephen’s masked covered face, their chests pushed together, Karl’s hands still gripping Stephen’s forearms. Stephen’s hand came up to remove the mask but Karl stopped him with a jerk of his head. “I can come up with an excuse if they find you with your mask on, but there’s nothing to be done if they see your face.”

What he said was true, but Karl was also concerned about how his body would react being so close to Stephen face to face in such tight quarters. He needed that mask to remain a barrier between them.

Through the door Karl and Stephen could hear men discussing their costumes and regular soldier gossip. “Krampus?” asked Stephen breaking the silence.

“A folk creature from Central and Eastern Europe, he’s present in several cultures with different names, but in Germany he is Krampus. A boogey-man who comes around Christmas to torment bad children,” replied Karl in a whisper.

“You couldn’t come up with a disguise that was a bit more, I don’t know, subtle?”

Karl rolled his eyes, “There was _no way_ to bring you into the house without drawing someone’s attention. And here’s the thing, Stephen, nobody wants to know the face behind Krampus, ruins their childhood memories. Same thing with St. Nicholas, it doesn’t matter if it’s probably just your uncle behind a false beard. They like the mystery.”

They waited a few moments as the soldiers jeered at their comrades to hurry up, the booze would run out if they were not careful. One soldier called out to another, “Come on, I heard the omega is wearing trousers that make his ass look great! You don’t want to miss that!”

Karl stiffened and Stephen gasped making a jolt forward but Karl’s hands tightened. “Stephen no.”

“But they insulted you, those slime-balls! They can’t talk about you like that.”

“Stephen, if you go out there and confront them, everything I worked for is lost. Now please, just let it go.”

Karl could imagine the pout under the mask as Stephen deflated with a nod.

They didn’t have any more time to tarry in the closet though as the hallway had fallen silent, and Karl pushed the door open and looked up and down the corridor before ushering Stephen back out. They almost got to the end where they would enter the stairs leading to the Mordos’ private rooms when a voice made them freeze.

“Karl, there you are!”

It was Kaecilius looking relieved and a bit amused walking towards them. “I was afraid you’d gotten held up by some unwanted attention.” 

“Of course not Colonel,” said Karl with a smile. “I went and got your gift but this creature took me by surprise. I’d never expect to see Krampus in summer and I was just admiring his costume.”

“Quite extraordinary, tell me private, when did you find the time to throw that together?” asked Kaecilius coming to stand in front of Stephen.

“Oh no, he’s not talking tonight, Kaecilius, he’s staying completely in character. You can question him in the morning.”

Kaecilius narrowed his eyes obviously trying to discern who the man was under the cloak and mask, but finally shrugged, “I suppose I shouldn’t ruin the fun.”

“Yes, and I owe you a dance! I can’t believe I kept you waiting,” said Karl looping his arm with Kaecilius’. “I shall give you your gift after you gift me with a dance.”

“That sounds fair,” said the Colonel, very pleased with the omega’s attitude.

Karl’s father had once been dear friends with an unbonded omega male named Constantin who was a renowned actor in all of the major theatres in Bucharest (he was also renowned for having affairs with many upper-class bonded alpha men and Karl had once witnessed someone ask Constantin why Sara Mordo was so comfortable having him be close to Nikolai. The omega took a drag of his cigarette and said, “I only fuck dumb alphas who hate their mates, none of those things apply to dear Nikolai” before ordering another bottle of wine for the table). Karl knew that if Constantin was here he would be shaking his head calling his performance dreadful. “You’re putting it on too much, dear,” Karl could imagine him saying.

But at the end the day, alphas want to hear what they want to hear, and Kaecilius ate it up. He was happy that Karl seemed to be warming up to him and the turned the opposite way back to the ballroom, but Karl turned back releasing Kaecilius for a moment before running back to Stephen.

Karl held out his hand for a shake, which Stephen’s gloved hand took. “Put in a good word for me with St. Nicholas, for when Christmas comes around, Sir Krampus. I think I’ve been a good boy right Kaecilius?”

Kaecilius laughed, “The best Karl, I’m sure Krampus won’t be visiting you any time soon.”

Karl ran back and took Kaecilius’ arm, giving the German alpha his full attention as they walked off towards the ballroom. Stephen meanwhile gripped the key Karl had snuck into his hand and turned to the stairs before disappearing around a corner.

xxx

Karl had danced with half a dozen or so soldiers and other military officials and his forehand, covered with a glittery half mask, was starting to get damp. The room was full of military officials, their mates and a few girls invited from the village. Karl had also spotted a boy that he had seen around the village wearing a ribboned dress too big for him looking very shy surrounded by protective older girls. The soldiers had all been eager to catch sight of the other omega male.

His first dance had of course been with Kaecilius, whom he had presented with a handkerchief embroidered with the alpha’s new military rank and the Roman eagle, the symbol of the Third Reich. Kaecilius had graciously accepted and held it to his chest, his eyes glowing with warmth for the omega. Karl had told him he had been growing him something too but a chill the night before had killed it, and Kaecilius said that handkerchief was more than enough.

Now it was time for the last dance. Sara had seemed to be genuinely enjoying herself, sitting at a table with several older men paying her compliments and telling her amusing stories about past balls they had been to. Krowler meanwhile, had started to doze slightly, a cigar still smoldering between his teeth.  

Karl had just finished a dance with a sweaty officer whose hand had crept a little too low on Karl’s hip when the band leader called out that it was time for the last dance. Of course no one dared approach Karl and the crowd parted to let Kaecilius through.

“Have you enjoyed yourself, Karl?” asked Kaecilius as the alpha took Karl’s hand and the waltz began.

“Very much, it’s been a wonderful night.”

“I am so glad for that, and you look positively effervescent,” said Kaecilius in a smooth voice.

They drifted across the wooden floor and let the music fill the air between them. Until Kaecilius leaned forward and said with a whisper, “Karl you’ve been hiding something from me?”

Karl tried not to look shocked but instead smiled and said, “Whatever do you mean?”

“Why your excellent dancing skills of course! We should’ve done his ages ago.”

The omega relaxed, “I’m not that good.”

“Don’t be ridiculous, you practically float across the dancefloor, you’ve been the envy of all the beta females in here. That omega boy has been looking at you like you hung the stars in the sky.”

Karl merely answered with a smile and went back to dancing before Kaecilius broke eye contact, “Karl I’ve been considering something for a while.”

Karl’s stomach became knotted.

“You know I feel an attraction to you as an alpha does to an omega right?”

Yes, he had made that clear.

“Well I thought I would ask you to let me court you.”

Karl stopped his movements and stared. They were frozen in the middle of the dancefloor as the other couples spun around them, throwing them inquisitive looks. “Court me?”

“Yes, see if we would be compatible as mates.”

Karl thought Kaecilius just wanted to fuck him, not put a bond mark on his neck. The entire idea filled Karl was repulsion.

“Well, uh Kaecilius I think that would depend on the approval of my family.”

“I have already talked to your grandfather and he is very keen on the idea,” said Kaecilius, urging Karl to join back in on the dance movements.

Once they were moving again Karl turned and caught his mother’s eye who was talking to one military commander’s wives. The expression she threw to Karl screamed remorse before she turned back to the conversation. Karl felt the oncoming need to scream.

The Allies were supposed to be winning. This was not supposed to be happening, he could not tie himself to this hateful alpha. Anchor himself to sinking ship. So far Karl had lived a charmed life, his family not forcing him to bond, a rarity amongst male omegas. But his charm had possibly run out.

Kaecilius had leaned forward and whispered in his ear, “You are a precious fruit and I will not see you left on the vine to _rot_. Please tell me you will accept my proposal.”

Karl’s mind reeled trying to come up with an excuse when a commotion from the other side of the dance floor made them turn. The young omega male’s arm had been caught in the grasp of a drunken alpha who had tried to tug him out of the room and the sleeve of his dress had ripped.

Karl and Kaecilius were across the room in an instant, Kaecilius grabbing the assaulter and Karl throwing his arm around the teenage boy. The girls that had before protected the boy were now reluctant to leave soldiers they were chatting to and decided to let the adults handle the situation.

Karl asked the other omega if he was okay and he sniffled and nodded, and Karl ran his hand up and down his arm clad in the ripped sleeve and led him out of the ballroom. “I’m sorry you experienced such a fright,” he said in a comforting tone, letting the boy sit down on the steps.

“My mother didn’t want me to go, said all alphas only want one thing, but all my friends were going so I begged her,” the boy managed to get out in between sobs.

“Not all alphas are bad,” said Karl, thinking a certain pilot, “But some think they are owed something from omegas, like they can just take whatever they want.” And then Kaecilius came to mind.

The boy’s sobs quieted down as Karl rubbed his back. “Did you make your dress?” asked Karl.

“Yes, I didn’t have many materials but I managed to repurpose some from my older sister’s dresses.”

“It’s very pretty.”

“Thank you, monsieur. But now it’s ruined,” said the boy referring to the ripped sleeve.

“Nonsense, you go to Wong’s shop and buy whatever you need to fix it okay? You can tell him that Karl Mordo will pick up the bill.”

The boy’s watery eyes turned to his and he gave him a shy smile, “You would do that?”

“Sure, you have talent and if I preferred dresses, I would buy one from you.”

The boy eyes widened, “Perhaps I could make you a suit.”

“That’s the spirit,” said Karl, bumping his shoulder with the boy’s.

Kaecilius came out and profusely apologized to the boy, giving the omega a speech similar to the one he gave Karl that night Weiss had assaulted him. The boy looked up at him with a blushing face, obviously not used to being addressed by handsome alphas.

Kaecilius escorted the boy outside and into a car, Karl following behind and giving the boy a friendly wave as he was driven off to go back to his home in the village. Kaecilius and Karl were then left alone out on the drive.

Before Karl could address him, Kaecilius turned to him, “I realize my proposal comes as a shock to you Karl, so I will give you a week for an answer. Is that agreeable?”

Karl nodded, “Yes, Kaecilius, thank you.”

Kaecilius smiled at Karl as they walked back into the mansion, they proceeded in silence until they came to the door to the family wing. Finally Kaecilius broke the silence and said, “Karl, this world is not safe for unbonded omegas.”

‘Because of alphas like you,’ thought Karl. But instead he merely smiled and said, “Good night, Colonel, I will consider your proposition very closely.” He then opened the door and left the alpha.

He should have gone to straight to bed, a part of him wanted to, but there was a louder part that wanted something else. And with a swift determination he walked past his door to the end of the hallway where there was another door, and this door led to a small staircase. At the top of the staircase he was met with a locked door. He knocked and called out, “Stephen, it’s me.”

The door swung open, revealing Stephen’s concerned face, the mask having been disposed of. He was now in a simple shift and loose trousers. “Karl is everything alright?”

Karl didn’t answer though, instead marching forward and smashing his mouth against Stephen’s, throwing the door shut behind him.

Karl wasn’t a fruit waiting to be picked by someone who thought he was delicious enough. He was a force, a force that would take what he wanted and what he wanted was gasping against his mouth in his arms.

“God, I’ve been wanting to do that for so long,” gasped Stephen when Mordo had released him.

“Angry I beat you to the punch?”

“Not at all, I know quite well you’re a hell of a lot braver than me.”

Karl laughed, “I’m inclined to agree that’s true.” He then gathered Stephen closer again and they returned to kissing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> P.S. Fuck Nazis


	7. The Demand

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Karl starts to take control of his life, Krowler will not back down easily though.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey I know I know, this took forever and isn't that long but look porn! Sorry my computer is shit and work and school keeps me occupied. This was supposed to be ready by Friday but I randomly became a cat mom so I've been busy with a 4 week old kitten. Hope you enjoy :)

Karl couldn’t remember the last time his heart beat so fast for any other reason except for fear. At the moment, he was laid out under Stephen on a dusty child’s bed in old ratty nursery and it felt like it was trying to pound its way out of his chest.

Stephen had let his mouth slip off of Karl’s lips and had started his way down Karl’s neck to the collar of his jacket. One of Stephen’s hands was desperately trying to tug the shirt underneath Karl’s jacket up out of his pants so he could snake a hand onto the exposed skin of the omega’s torso.

“God you’re so beautiful,” mumbled Stephen against Karl’s neck, “Didn’t dare to hope that you wanted me.”

“Oh damn do I want you,” gasped Karl, “I haven’t legitimately wanted anything in a long time, but I want you Stephen Strange.”

Stephen pushed himself up bracing himself over Karl so he could stare down at the omega. “Do you want you my knot?”

Karl groaned.

Stephen thrust down against the omega below him and Karl let out a high pitched whine. “Tell me Karl, do you want my _fat alpha knot_?”

“Yes alpha! Please alpha! Please knot me! Give it please! Bite me! Mate me! Breed me!”

It was like Stephen’s eyes became unclouded with lust and he pulled back from Karl, “Um Karl, I like the dirty talk but I don’t think that’s a good idea, you getting pregnant would just make everything wor—”

Stephen wasn’t able to continue because Karl had sat up and grabbed Stephen, pushing him on the bed beside him. He then grabbed at Stephen’s belt and undid it, yanking his trousers down.

Stephen was lying helpless, his trousers around his knees and his painful bulge tenting his underwear. Karl ran a finger up and down it making Stephen shiver. “This is for me?” asked Karl.

Stephen’s eyes were scrunched up as he frantically nodded his head, “Yes, I’ve thought about you for so long. Ever since you sliced your leg open for me, I thought wow, I’ve never met an omega like this. I thought about you in that basement. Intimate thoughts.”

Karl paused his light stroking. “Did you touch yourself while thinking about me?”

Stephen peeked an eye open at him, “I mean, I did have a lot of free time, so yes.”

Karl laughed. Kaecilius had been right about someone masturbating in the cellar then.

“What did you think about me doing Stephen? Did you think about me doing this?” asked Karl as he yanked down the alpha’s underwear letting his erection spring free.

“Mmmmmhmmmmm,” Stephen got out in a low moan.

Karl wrapped an elegant hand around Stephen’s cock and started to stroke it up and down, “What about this?”

“Yes, your manicured soft aristocrat hands around my cock was a personal favorite yeah,” said Stephen his hands gripping the mattress for dear life.

“Did you have any other favorites?”

“Ye-Yeah.”

“What were they?”

“Your lips. Your beautiful lips.”

“My lips where?”

“Around my cock.”

“Oh?” asked Karl with feigned surprise, “Like this?” Then wrapped his lips around the head of Stephen’s cock.

“Yeah just like that,” sighed Stephen.

Karl proceeded to bob his head up and down the shaft, his hand still stroking at the base and massaging Stephen’s testicles. He would pull off with a pop in order to lick Stephen’s cock up and down behold kissing the tip and swirling around it and then engulfing it again.

Stephen ground out, “You’ve done this before, haven’t you?”

Karl pulled off and smiled, “Am I good at sucking cock?” He hit the k-sound on the cock hard for emphasis.

“Yes and you know it.”

“I had a friend in school, we were both omegas and we were shy around alphas so we wanted to know we could perform if we wanted to. Our stamina was crazy, we could practice for _hours._ Unfortunately I can’t show you all of the skills I perfected tonight.” Karl’s mouth returned to the alpha’s cock.

“Yeah that’s too bad,” panted Stephen.

After not having been touched by another in so long, Stephen’s orgasm was quickly upon him and he let out as a choked sob as he came in Karl’s mouth. He managed to look up just in time to see Karl lick the remnants off his lips.

Stephen laid back in bliss, he had spent so much time on edge and so an orgasm due the mouth of a pretty omega made him feel almost euphoric. Finally after he moment to catch his breath he looked back up at the omega, “That was great, now get over here and let me return the favor.”

But instead of moving Karl just stared down at Stephen lost in a daze, his mouth slightly ajar.

“Karl? You okay baby? You didn’t blow a fuse did you?”

Karl blinked and finally began to speak again, “Did you want that?”

Stephen jolted in surprise, “Yes of course, Karl. I thought I made that really clear. Completely consensual. Unless…you wanted to do it right?”

“Yes, I wanted that very much, Stephen. I wanted your cock in my mouth.”

“Okay,” said Stephen squirming uncomfortably, “Then what’s the problem?”

“It’s not all I want.”

“What else do you want?”

“I want to do to this,” suddenly Karl reached down and tore Stephen’s shirt open, buttons flying everywhere. Stephen let out a gasp of surprise before Karl had leaned over him and was mouthing at his nipple, pinching the other one.

“Wow okay, sure,” said Stephen with a shaky laugh.

Karl started kissing Stephen’s bare chest before making his way up to Stephen’s neck where he laid kisses that made Stephen sigh in contentment.

Then he sunk his teeth in and made Stephen yelp.

Karl jumped back, panicked. “I’m sorry! I just want you so badly. I want to do so many things with you, to you.”

Stephen reached back and felt the bloody spot on his neck. Omegas weren’t supposed to mark alphas. But their relationship was anything but normal.

“It’s okay Karl, but hey,” said Stephen with a sly smile, “What else do you wanna do to me?”

“I want to tie you down and fuck you.”

Stephen was shocked speechless.

Karl held up a hand, “Not now of course and only if you want to.”

Stephen blinked, “Sure, I’m learning to be open-minded.” Stephen nodded at the bulge in Karl’s trousers, “You wanna do something about that right now though?”

Karl looked down and then back at the alpha laid out before him. “I don’t want you to help me, could you just, lie there?”

“Um okay, Stephen settled back into the pillows, hands settling at his sides, “This how you want me?”

Karl nodded, “Yes this is good.”

Karl stood up from the bed and came to stand over Stephen’s chest. He reached down and undid his trousers and tugged out his cock which he began to stroke up and down.

“I want you to be mine Stephen.”

“Mmmmm,” said the alpha watching the omega stroke his cock in front of him.

“I want you tied on a bed, I want you under me as I ride you, I want your mouth stretched around my cock, I want you to throw you over a table and fuck you until your knees give out.”

The only sound was Karl stroking his cock as he stared at Stephen, the alpha’s pale blue eyes half-lidded in lust.

“I want you every way I can get you, Stephen.”

Karl came with a grunt, splattering cum on the alpha’s chest and chin. Karl reached down and wiped it off with a finger stroke, bringing the finger up to Stephen’s shapely lips to lick it off.

“And no war is going to take you from me,” said Karl.

Later on, as they lay side by side, cleaned up, Stephen asked if something had happened that night. “I mean that was the hottest sex I’ve ever had, but I need to know you’re alright.”

 Karl considered telling Stephen about Kaecilius and he proposal from last night. He wanted so badly to confide in someone about how frightened the man made him. How much he felt like a sitting duck around him.

But Stephen couldn’t do anything about him, and Karl couldn’t bear to lay any more troubles on him. So him simply leaned over a kissed Stephen before rising, “I’m fine Stephen, just have a lot on my mind.”

xxx

Karl’s night was so resplendent he didn’t even think about the fact that he would wake up and have to face his family until he was hesitantly getting dressed for breakfast. It didn’t help that he had only managed a few hours of sleep after parting ways with Stephen the night before and sneaking back to his room.

He thought about Kaecilius saying his grandfather had given him his blessing and his stomach started to churn. He had always dreaded that Krowler would eventually step into Karl’s love life. When Krowler had visited their home in Bucharest, questions about Karl’s status were always quick out of his mouth. He’d ask Sara if he had looked into the son or daughter of such or such aristocrat and Sara always looked uncomfortable as she fumbled out an excuse. Krowler was never pleased with her answer.

Karl had his parents and a distance between him and his grandfather to protect him then, but now he had his own will and he wasn’t going to roll over for Krowler’s demands any longer.

He walked into the sitting room trying to be as confident as possible, his head held high. He leaned down and kissed his mother on the cheek and greeted his grandfather with a nod before primly sitting down next to Sara and reaching for the tea.

“Well Karl, you seem to be in a good mood this morning,” said Sara.

“Yes mother, the ball last night was refreshing, the routine around here does get rather dreary.”

“Any other reason you might be feeling more joyous?” asked his grandfather from his armchair, peering at Karl over his own teacup.

Karl looked out the window, considering his answer, before turning back, “The sun is shining and we still have so much, despite all the suffering this war has caused.”

Krowler squinted his eyes at his grandson, “Don’t be short with me, young man.”

“I apologize, grandfather, I was just being truthful.”

Sara interrupted, patting Karl’s knee, “You spent an awful lot of time with the guest of honor, Karl. So, do you enjoy the company of Colonel Kaecilius?” She seemed curious, but also cautious in her question. Karl noted that she lacked her usual giddiness when asking about potential mates.

“He is certainly a gentlemen,” replied Karl, “But I wonder about how long our guests will be remaining here, I wouldn’t want to make ties that would be prematurely severed.”

Krowler put his teacup down in its saucer with a lot click, “Are you suggesting the Germans will be leaving soon?”

“I don’t know grandfather,” shrugged Karl, “Just that he could be reassigned at any point.”

“You go where your alpha goes, Karl,” said Krowler coldly.

‘Even if that if it’s to the losing side of the war?’ Karl so desperately wanted to blurt out.

“Why are you speaking as if he’s my alpha?” asked Karl instead.

“Karl, you know that I know, that he has requested to court you, don’t act stupid, boy.”

Sara had got stiff beside Karl and looked like she may be sick. Karl was staring at his grandfather fighting back rage.

“And I suppose you’ve decided my answer for me, hmm? I didn’t realize I was living in the 12th century or that our family was so backward,” snapped Karl.

Then Krowler was on his feet, moving impressively quick for a man his age. “You boy, have been spoiled to the core!” ground out Krowler, an accusatory finger pointed at the omega, “And it’s about time learned your place and started to put the wellbeing of this family above your own _childish desires_!”

“Grandfather I am twenty-five!”

“Then bloody well act like it! You act like we can just support you while you read your books and tend to your plants, well it’s time you do something for us in return. I want you to be very courteous to the Colonel and you take take his offer seriously. For this family. This war will have inevitably changed our lives but it doesn’t have to end them if you stop being so selfish and realize that you are an omega and you _will obey me_ , your alpha. If you do not, then I will be forced to consider casting you out of my home, and I dare say, a pampered little omega like you won’t last long out there. Is that understood?”

Karl was going to do it, he was going to stand up to Krowler and his old fashioned ways of thinking. Karl had had an alpha completely submissive under him last night he wasn’t the weak little creature his grandfather thought him to be. His words were boiling up inside him and about to erupt.

But his mother grabbed his hand and he looked over and she giving him a pleading look. A desperate look. The fire in Karl’s chest fizzled.

“Yes, grandfather,” said Karl his teeth clenched.

Krowler sat back down, pleased with Karl’s obedience. “Good, you are having dinner in the Colonel’s quarters tonight. Wear something nice.”

The churning in Karl’s stomach returned.

“Oh and Karl?” said Krowler, “We’ve run out of suppressants, so there’s an element of self-preservation in our decision. Do you want to go through a full blown heat unmated, your first in years, in a house full of hot-blooded alphas? We won’t be able to protect you. Just something to think about.” Krowler then went back to his tea.

Karl was confused. His mother had given him his suppressants last night but before he could open his mouth to voice his confusion his mother hurriedly changed the subject. “Who wants strawberry jam on their scone, I know I do!” she said, grabbing the pastry. She gave Karl another pleading look, one that said, ‘Don’t say anything.’

Karl let the subject fall, cutting open his scone, and dreading the night ahead.


	8. The Bath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Karl can will have no more of hiding a ripe American in his house.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahhhhhhhhh
> 
> Okay hello all (if anyone is still reading this). This fic was NOT ABANDONED. I am just in grad school now and I have so many papers due that I don't ever want to do much typing outside of school work. I am on holiday from school now though, so I am trying my hardest to get this done. Just another short chapter because I really wanted to make it clear that this is still active but get ready for shit to hit the fan!

The dinner with Kaecilius that night went by without any big bombshells to Karl’s relief. It was just full of the same sly glances and soft smiles that Kaecilius now felt comfortable throwing his way. The Colonel let his hand linger when he passed Karl a glass of wine and such. A strategic knee squeeze now and then.

Fortunately he did not bring up Karl’s decision but did pepper their conversation with references to an imagined future of them together. “I would love to show you my grandmother’s estate in Austria one day, many happy memories there” and “I can’t believe your mother has never been in the Christmas market in Nuremberg, I would love to take her.” Kaecilius spoke us if they were already engaged and in place of a correction, Karl merely sipped his wine and nodded his head. 

He was glad that the German was not expecting much of a two-way conversation, for Karl’s mind was still reeling from the revelation that at least part of his family, half of what he presumably had left, was plotting against him. He wanted so badly to confront his mother, tiptoe into her room, crawl into bed with her, draw the duvet over his head and pressure her into telling him everything. But he wasn’t sure if that was the correct course of action. He wasn’t sure how much he should just keep his head down and his wits about him, what with the secret he now had spirited away in the upper floors. His precious hidden alpha. 

Luckily Karl had managed to feign a slight stomachache and had asked if it was impolite to wrap up some of the remaining food for a midnight snack if he was hungry. Kaecilius had beamed, thinking the request absolutely adorable and saying that of course Karl could take all that he needed, omegas needed to stay soft and not at all boney. Karl’s pretend stomachache threatened to become a real one with that talk. 

Karl had put together a basket of leftovers and was preparing to leave when Kaecilius suddenly remembered something. “Oh I almost forgot! A superior sent me a congratulatory bottle of champagne, but I never developed a taste for the stuff. I’m German through and through and will always pick beer over anything else. But anyway I thought you and your family could enjoy it.” 

And so the bottle of champagne and three flutes were packed away with the leftovers. Karl thanked Kaecilius profusely but the alpha gave him a coy look, “Is that all I get?” 

Karl tensed, his stomach sunk and his palms instantly became sweaty. “And what would be a good way to show my gratitude?”

Kaecilius hummed and tapped his chin in mock thinking. “Well, my dear Karl, alphas are creatures of needs, and to be honest I have been dying to scent you for so long. Just one long sniff will do, nothing untoward, I swear.”

It was animalistic and certainly untoward, but Karl could relent so long as it didn’t involve too much contact. He nodded saying, “I could allow you to do that, Colonel”, trying to sound as unattached and as cold as possible. If the attraction had been mutual the omega might have given him a breathless reply that included some type of flirtatious double entendre. Karl just wanted to get it over with as fast as possible and bent his neck to the side. 

Kaecilius moved forward and placed his hand on the small of Karl’s back, bringing the omega closer to him. He leaned forward starting at Karl’s shoulder, which was covered by his suit jacket, and then up toward his collar. He then took a few deep breaths and made his way up the omega’s neck towards his ear. Mid-neck, Kaecilius stopped and let out a soft moan before pausing and leaning forward leaving a soft, barely there kiss beneath Karl’s ear. “Good night, Karl,” said the Colonel before releasing him.

Karl could’ve run out of the room. 

xxx

Sara and Krowler had already retired to bed and so Karl was able to sneak his way up into the old nursery in which Stephen was staying. He carried his basket of treats in the crook of his arm as he gave a knock he had told Stephen to listen for when he entered the nursery to let him know not to be alarmed and he drew out the long, old key from his housecoat and entered the room. 

Stephen had been reading by the light of an old oil lamp and smiled and started to rise up to meet Karl but the omega halted him with a hand. “Better to only have one set of footsteps that could heard. Just stay there.” 

Karl placed the basket on the floor next to the bed and sat down next to Stephen, taking the alpha’s face into his hands and kissing him fiercely. Stephen returned the kiss with as just as much vigor and laughed when Karl nipped at him. “Feisty again I guess?”

Karl left one more peck on Stephen’s lips and leaned over and picked up the basket. “I brought dinner, and look, champagne!” 

“What’s the occasion?” asked Stephen, taking the bottle and turning it over in his hands, examining the label as if he could read the French written there. 

“No occasion, it was given to my family as a gift and I don’t think it will be missed,” said Karl. 

“Well should we save it for some future date?” 

The idea of the future pained Karl though, it was fast approaching and soon he would have to make some difficult decisions. All he could do was live in the present. 

“Let’s drink it now, darling. Let’s celebrate our success so far in keeping you hidden.” 

“Wow who would’ve thought?”

“What? You doubt my efforts in secreting you away?”

“No that I, little ole Stephen Strange, would be sipping champagne with a fancy omega who calls me ‘darling’ in his posh accent.” 

“Yes and who could have imagined that I, with a title to my name, would be dining with a dirty American soldier.”

Karl spread out an old quilt on the floor and Stephen gingerly crawled onto it from the bed and Stephen ate the leftovers as Karl twisted an old piece of wire that had once held up a painting into a makeshift bottle opener. He prayed that the bottle would not cause too much noise when it was popped and luckily it sound wasn’t anything that would have carried to the lower floors. 

Karl filled the flutes and offered Stephen one. Stephen held out his flute for a toast, “To Karl Mordo, the craziest, bravest and fucking sexiest omega I have ever encountered.” 

Karl laughed, “I can drink to that.” 

The chatted in the low light, Karl asking Stephen what he had been reading. “A collection of classic children’s poetry. I found it in the side table, I had the same one when I was young,” said Stephen with a mouth full of bread. 

Stephen asked Karl about his night and Karl waved him off saying he just had another boring, every day dinner with his family. He still didn’t dare let Stephen be weighed down his stress. 

When Stephen had finished eating and the bottle was half empty, they lay side by side on the blanket, their hands joined together in an entwined embrace. They whispered about what the shapes made on the wall by the moonlight through the tree branches resembled most. 

“That is definitely some sort of dragon,” said Stephen. 

“Really? I see...Napoleon on his steed, Marengo.” 

Stephen sputtered and laughed, “Of course you’d give such a pretentious answer.” 

“Well I did have to spend parts of my childhood in here, I think I am more familiar with these shadows than you are.” 

Stephen then started to turn on his side to bring their mouths back into a kiss but Karl’s nose wrinkled. “You know I wasn’t kidding about the dirty American part, you do smell rank. I fear that even if you do stay quiet, they may be able to sniff you out.” 

Stephen sighed, “It’s not like I can just skip off to the bath. I’ll try to use some of the water you bring me to wash myself.”

But Karl looked contemplative. “Hmmm what if you can go take a bath?”

“I’d say you’re drunk.”

“Stephen, I’m being serious!” 

“Uh I would be indebted you with 500 blow jobs, that would be beyond fucking lovely.” 

“There’s a bathroom at the end of the hallway below us. We could possibly slip in if we are very quiet, I’ve taken baths late at night before without disturbing my family.” 

And so Karl tiptoed down the stairs and slipped into the bathroom, running just enough water so Stephen could get himself clean before he slipped back upstairs and took Stephen by the hand. Really all he would need to do was sneak down the stairs and duck into the bathroom, it wasn’t exactly a gravely risky mission. Operation Get Stephen Strange Clean. 

Karl whispered to Stephen to strip as quickly as possible and Stephen went about doing so, pausing before he took off his trousers. Karl smiled and whispered, “Stephen I’ve seen everything, I’ve had your cock in my mouth, why are you being modest.”

Stephen huffed, “I’m a gentleman okay?” before finishing striping. 

Karl rolled his eyes, “Really? You said you masturbate to thoughts of my ‘aristocratic hands around your cock.’ Not a very gentlemanly way of speaking there.” 

“Hey now, I’m sure plenty of gentlemen masturbate, everyone does. And hey if we need this to be quick can we lay off on talking about your hands around my cock? Otherwise I’m gonna need your help.”

“Yes, let’s get you clean first.” 

Stephen climbed into the bath and Karl cupped his hand into the water, letting it fall on Stephen’s back before he lathered up a cloth with soap and started to scrub him down, while Stephen worked on his legs and underarms. It pained Karl to see how thin Stephen was. His ribs visible under pale skin. 

“One day I wanna do this with you in here with me,” said Stephen. “With a lot more water, and bubbles up to our chins.”

“With that many bubbles we may not be able to find each other,” joked Karl. He tried not to think of Stephen’s promises of the future, so terribly different from Kaecilius’. Karl so deeply wanted for Stephen’s to be true. 

“Oh I’d find you,” said Stephen with a mischievous tone. 

Karl smiled at him and laid a quick kiss on his boney shoulder before continuing to wash him. 

He had Stephen lean back and lay his head on the porcelain so he could pour some shampoo into his hair and massage it into his scalp. Stephen let out a groan as the omega’s fingers did their work. 

Karl used a cup to pour water over Stephen’s hair and he paused as the soap suds dispersed, “There’s a bit of grey in your temple.”

“Not surprising,” sighed Stephen, “My old man was salt and pepper by his mid-30s. And it’s not like I have had the most relaxed life as of late.” 

“There’s nothing to worry about darling,” said Karl, soothing the wet hair back and out of his face. “I’ll take care of you, I’ll keep you safe.” 

“You’ve made that abundantly clear, I still want to show that I can take care of you, though. I’m the alpha.”

Karl sat back on his heels, inspecting his work. “You keep saying that like it means something.”

“Well, we can take care of each other then.”

Karl brought Stephen’s scarred hand up out of the water and intertwined their fingers. The water dripping down the both of them. The omega kissed the back of Stephen’s hand softly murmuring, “I think that sounds divine.”

Stephen fidgeted in the water, “Well speaking about taking care of each other, I think I need some help with this.” Looking down at his erection which was not covered by the low water. “Do you think we can splash some cold water on it?”

Karl stood up, and grabbed a towel. “Better yet, how about we run back upstairs and I suck you off again. How does that sound?”

“I think I could agree to your terms, Mr. Mordo.”


	9. The Search

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Krowler goes snooping.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uh hi.  
> So yeah.  
> This is crazy late.  
> School got hectic and I found it hard to sort through this story but now I have it on track like I want it. Now I'm on summer break and I fully intend on finishing this fic. I do not like abandoning fic at all.
> 
> Trigger warnings:  
> -Physical violence   
> -Consensual touching and gross talk about sex

“I think there might be mice in the attic.”

Karl almost choked on his tea at his grandfather’s statement, but quickly schooled his features to keep calm. “Whatever do you mean?”

“I’ve just heard more activity up there lately, I worry that it could be something bigger like rats or a family of squirrels.”

“Oh, I’ve been spending more time up there after dinner, it calms me down.” Karl had once read that the way to tell a good lie was to keep it as close to the truth as possible.

Krowler scoffed, “Now is not the time to be reminiscing about your childhood young man. You know what I think about you needing to grow up.”

“Maybe it’s ghosts!” proclaimed Sara with a clap of her hands, trying to lighten the mood, “Who knows? Grandpapa bought this house, there could’ve been some childhood deaths in here at one point up in that old nursery. Little ghost children pattering about--if you hear a wayward giggle, do tell father.”

“Don’t be ridiculous Sara. And Sara you really ought to be sitting down with Karl and giving him some lessons about running a household and being a bonded omega. What with his upcoming engagement to the Colonel and all.”

Karl wanted to seethe at his grandfather, proclaim that he had not accepted Kaecilius’ proposal and honestly would rather, _die_ than mate with the German. But he kept his mouth shut, not wanting to draw his grandfather’s ire.

But Karl was all out of luck when his grandfather brought up the next topic, “Oh and Karl, did you know the Colonel asked how we liked that bottle of champagne that he gifted us? I was quite confused because, I know I am getting on in age, but I think I would remember an expensive bottle of champagne.”

Karl felt like he could vomit, there was really no way of getting out of this one. He could lie and say that he had misplaced the bottle, but misplaced it where? It wasn’t a key or a letter, not something small that could slip between something and out of sight. And their quarters were spacious but not that big. If his grandfather caught him in a lie, the outcome would be worse if he just fessed up. Of course, he wouldn’t admit that he had drunk it with his secret alpha lover in the attic.

Karl stood up from the couch, and got on his knees, hanging his head in subjugation, “Grandfather, I must admit to you that yes, the Colonel gave me the champagne that was meant for all of us. But I drank all of it. I am so sorry, I meant to only take a sip, but I got carried away. I suppose it is the stress of my upcoming engagement. Please, forgive me.”

Krowler sighed and set his teacup and saucer on the side table. He then stood up and walked over to where Karl was kneeling. He leaned down and put his hand on Karl’s cheek, lifting the omega’s face to look up at his.

Krowler looked down at his grandson with a smile, “I thank you for telling me the truth boy. That is an honorable quality. But what I cannot abide is you becoming one of those vapid drunken uppercrust omegas you see at galas. Floating around in a haze, giggling at everything, falling asleep in the opera. No, you will not soil the Mordo name with that behavior.”

Krowler pat Karl’s cheek before pulling back his hand and turning around one of his rings. Karl’s blood ran cold. “This is for your own good, young man. I’ll try not to mark you up too badly, Colonel Kaecilius does like your pretty face.” Krowler then pulled back his hand and struck Karl across the face.

The ring cut a long scratch across his cheek and because of his position kneeling Karl was knocked off balance and went tumbling to the floor, clutching his cheek as he did so. Sara gasped in horror.

The blow would’ve been enough for some to put another in his place, but not for Krowler Mordo. He pulled back his leg, bracing himself with a hand on the wall and delivered a swift kick to Karl’s ribs. Karl cried out in pain and curled himself up in the fetal position, but the alpha continued to kick him over and over.

Sara was openly crying at this point and started to beg her father to end his assault, “Father please! Please stop! Please! It’s enough!”

Krowler finally went still and Sara lunged forward to see to Karl but her father grabbed her arm, stilling her in his firm grip. “No Sara, you will not coddle that boy anymore. Because he is not a boy, he is man and he must accept the repercussions for his immature and reckless actions.”

Karl lay gasping on the carpet for a few more moments as Krowler helped a weeping Sara gathered up the breakfast materials onto a tray. Karl managed to uncurl and painfully lift himself up onto his feet by crawling up a couch. The blood from the cut on his cheek smeared across lips.

“May I be excused, sir?” Karl managed to choke out.

Krowler finished putting the rest of the china away and looked satisfied at his grandson, “Ah, yes there are those manners we instilled in you. Yes, you better go clean yourself and get changed, I daresay I ruined that dress shirt. No matter, once you are mated to the Colonel you will want for nothing. Yes, go on boy.”

Karl made for the door, limping the whole way. Sara tried to follow behind him but Krowler growled out her name warning her to stay where she was. “Go back to your needlepoint, Sara, let the boy lick his wounds. I think he got the message.”

Karl stumbled his way out into the hallway and limped along, using a hand to support himself against the wall. It felt like ages to get to his room and he turned the knob and went in, leaning back against the closed door. Finally alone, he let himself break down into sobs, sinking to the floor.

xxx

Later that afternoon, Karl blinked awake in the low light streaming in from the windows. He hadn’t meant to go to sleep, he had painfully cleaned himself up and gotten changed earlier and the emotional and physical exhaustion had forced him to sink back into the pillows and fall into a restless nap. Luckily the cut on his cheek was just a scratch and had stopped bleeding after a few minutes of Karl holding a handkerchief against it.

Karl turned his head against the pillow and looked at the measure of the light coming in from the window. He could tell from the length of the shadows that it wasn’t quite time for dinner yet. He wanted nothing more than to quietly eat his meal, his head hung down and only answering in the shortest, politest answers possible. Then he could sit in his room, impatiently trying to read as he waited for Sara and Krowler to retire. He could then sneak upstairs and let himself fall into his Stephen’s arms. Inhale his alpha’s scent, everything would be alright then.

He contemplated going back to sleep, but the peace was disturbed by the sound of Krowler walking down the hallway. He could tell it was him because he was talking to someone.

“Thank you for taking the time away from your duties to help me,” said his grandfather.

“It’s not an issue, sir,” said the familiar voice of Kaecilius.

“I’ve heard a lot of movement up there lately, with these houses it could be anything, but if you could just check around up there and do away with any nuisances you find, I would be most grateful,” said Krowler.

The voices drifted off down the hallway and Karl was left staring at the ceiling, his eyes wide with shock. Karl thought he had successfully distracted his grandfather from the attic. He had been wrong. Now Krowler and Kaecilius were making their way upstairs, where an unsuspecting Stephen was waiting.

Karl didn’t even have time to think about how he would approach the situation, they were already on their way, but Karl had to do something. He couldn’t let the man he loved be caught and not even make an attempt to save them.

So Karl went up to the attic, trying to take deep breaths and not panic. It hurt to walk but if Karl thought running would save Stephen he would. He was afraid that he would get to the stairs and there already be a commotion as Stephen was discovered and dragged out, but Karl found the two men talking on the landing before the door of the attic.

The two men halted mid-sentence as Karl appeared and Kaecilius’ face split with a smile, “Ah Karl! So nice of you to join us, your grandfather asked me up here to look and see if there was a mice problem. Well, he asked if one of my men could help him but, seeing as how we are almost family I thought I should offer.”

It was almost as if Kaecilius had demanded Karl be bonded with him and hadn’t even asked at all.

Kaecilius’ eyebrows raised when he saw Karl limping his way up the stairs, holding tightly to the railing. “Are you hurt my sweet?”

Karl wasn’t really sure what to say, but Krowler answered for him, “Oh he was in the need of some discipline, you know that bottle of champagne I hadn’t known about? Turns out he had drunk it all by himself.”

A decent alpha would be aghast and horrified to learn about the abuse of an omega. They would think that Krowler was barbaric for what he had done.

Kaecilius was not a decent alpha though.

“What?” Kaecilius said amused, “Karl, you naughty naughty boy! I had no idea you were so mischievous.”

Karl gave a strained smile and shrugged.

“So, did you take him over your knee?” asked Kaecilius to Krowler.

“Oh no, he’s not a child. Also, my dear man, I would think that was encroaching on your territory,” said Krowler smugly.

Kaecilius threw back his head and let out an uproarious laugh. Karl wanted to scream but he quickly jumped in with the laughing, hoping they were as loud as could be. A warning signal, hide yourself, Stephen, as well as you could.

“He’s mostly of fine breeding, but he can be feisty,” said Krowler.

“And that’s why I like him,” said Kaecilius, “I can see the fire in his blood.”

Karl tried not to look so visibly uncomfortable.

Before Karl could think up something to stall for any longer Krowler was unlocking the door and pushing into the attic. Karl crowded in close behind the two alphas and looked around. Worried that even if Stephen had hid away somewhere there would be obvious evidence that he had been living up there.

But the attic looked as bare and as unlived in as it had been when Karl spirited Stephen up there. There were no ruffled slept-in blankets, no food particles, no clothes drying. Karl could’ve sighed in relief.

Kaecilius walked around the room, “Well there are no obvious signs of mice, no droppings, no chewed on boxes like you would see, but what do we have here?” Karl’s breath caught in his throat and Kaecilius stooped over and picked up the empty champagne bottle.

“Drinking in your old childhood nursery, really Karl?” said Krowler.

“Oh don’t fault the boy for longing for an escape,” said Kaecilius as he placed the bottle back down on the floor. “I find it charming, sitting up here, sipping on champagne, thinking of a simpler time.”

Karl was starting to detest getting called ‘boy’. They wanted him to behave and act like a man and yet they still called him boy constantly. It was positively infuriating. And Kaecilius was wrong, Karl didn’t long for the past anymore. He wanted a future. A future with Stephen far, far away from here.

Kaecilius moved to look in the closet but Karl called out to him to disrupt his search. “Colonel, I was wondering if you had any new records? We have some but we have basically worn the grooves down.”

Krowler looked pleased to see his grandson being friendly to the alpha and Kaecilius’ face lit up in a delighted smile. “Why, yes! I think I do have a few you might like,” said the Colonel, “Fresh from the vaterland.”

“Karl’s taste is rather modern, though we all do enjoy a bit of Wagner,” said Krowler.

“Well that’s good, if Karl is to be married to a German, he must appreciate our old masters,” said Kaecilius.

Unfortunately, Karl bringing up music didn’t distract Kaecilius from his task and the alpha opened the closet door and stuck his head inside. He pulled a flashlight out of his pocket and looked closely for mouse evidence. If Stephen had been in there, the colonel would’ve exclaimed and pulled a gun and so Karl was able to relax. 

The three looked around a bit more, and didn’t find anything they were looking for. Karl was starting to think Stephen must be hiding in a large trunk in the corner and was happy when the alphas moved toward the door, satisfied in their search.

“Karl, tidy up here will you? Just a bit of dusting,” said Krowler as he exited the room and made his way down the stairs.

Kaecilius unfortunately did not follow immediately behind him though and he approached Karl with a predatory look. The alpha bent his head close to Karl’s ear, “I smell _sex_ in here, you naughty little thing.”

Karl went rigid, a chill running up his spine. The colonel could smell what he and Stephen had gotten up to?

Kaecilius reached forward and pulled Karl back so the omega’s back was flush to the alpha’s front. He wrapped his hands around Karl’s upper arms and leaned forward to whisper into the omega’s ear, “Have you been relieving yourself in here? Have the thoughts of me been driving you crazy like how I am plagued with thoughts of you? Have they been driving you to drink?” Kaecilius stuck in his nose against Karl’s neck and breathed in.

“Not much longer, my beloved,” said Kaecilius as he laid a kiss against Karl’s neck. Everything in Karl wanted to hit him and shake him off but he stood firm, trying not to quake in the alpha’s firm embrace. “My God, you will look beautiful in heat. But I will have you in my grand bedroom, not a dusty attic or a damp cellar in a greenhouse. Your screams will make all the other alphas in this house seethe with jealousy.”

Karl could feel Kaecilius’ arousal against his backside. Karl didn’t care if it got him killed, he wasn’t going to let anything progress past what Kaecilius was already doing at the moment.                                                                                                               

Luckily, Kaecilius released him and walked toward the door, “Yes not long now.” He got to the doorway and paused, looking back at Karl, “Hmm, I smell something else.” Kaecilius sniffed the air thoughtfully, mulling over what the scent could be.

Karl thought for a moment that the alpha had caught Stephen’s scent but then the alpha smiled, “Oh I know what it is. It’s _fear_. I always did love that smell. It makes you smell absolutely divine, beloved.” With that, Kaecilius went over to the door, and practically skipped down the stairs.

Karl waited until he heard Kaecilius exit into the hallway below and the alphas’ footsteps faded before rushing over to the chest and slinging it open, eager to see his alpha. But all that was inside were items from the room: the bedding Stephen had been using, the bowl Karl had given him to help bathe, the fruit that Karl had managed to sneak up to him.

Karl looked desperately around the empty room, no sign of his alpha at all. It was so small, where had he gone?

Had he gone?

Climbed done the eaves last night after Karl had left and run off to join his brothers in arms? The thought that he could be truly alone made Karl feel dizzy. He grabbed the pillow that smelled distinctly of Stephen and wrapped his arms around it, sinking down on the bed and inhaling deeply with his nose in it, trying not to panic and start sobbing again.

His eyes were clenched shut and so he didn’t see the window swing open, but he heard a thud as a figure swung down through it.

“Wow, that was a close one, huh? I heard them outside the door and worked fast, luckily there’s a shady eave right by the window that I scoped out the other day. Good thinking on the talking and stalling, thought I couldn’t—hey, baby, you okay?”

Karl left the pillow on the bed and limped his way over to the alpha. “Are you hurt?” asked Stephen concerned, but Karl just walked up to him, wrapping his arms around the taller man’s waist and resting his head on his shoulder.

“I bet that all frightened you, it’s okay, we made it,” said Stephen rubbing Karl’s back. When the omega tensed Stephen ceased the rubbing and asked him again if he was hurt.

“My grandfather beat me because I told him I drank all of the champagne,” said Karl. Now it was time for Stephen to tense as he sputtered in horror, “He did what?”

“Then I thought you would be found and Kaecilius was very forward towards me,” said Karl.

“Those bastards,” said Stephen through clenched teeth, his breathing growing quicker in anger, holding Karl tighter to him.

“And then—then I thought you’d left me here,” said Karl, his lips starting to quiver 

“Oh no, no baby, no. Never. I’ll die before I left you here. And even if I did have to leave I’d fight my way back in with the entire American Army to save you.”

Karl nodded against Stephen’s chest, believing the alpha with his whole heart.

“Is there anything I can do to make you feel better? Because all I want to do right now is stomp out of here and murder your grandfather and the fucking colonel with my own two scarred hands but I can’t. I know I can’t, and it’s killing me. So any other options?” asked Stephen before dropping a kiss on the top of Karl’s head.

“You can hold me until I have to leave for dinner,” said Karl, “I smell like him and I want to only smell like you.”

“Sounds good to me,” said Stephen as he leaned down and lifted Karl up by the legs, the omega’s arms going around his neck. Stephen was low on muscle, but it was just a few steps to the narrow bed, where he placed the omega and got in behind him, spooning the smaller man.

“We are gonna fly far, far away from here one day and never come back baby, all of this will seem like a distant dream,” whispered Stephen into his ear.

Karl smiled, hoping that day would come soon.


	10. The Reveal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kaecilius runs out of patience.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings for attempted sexual assault.   
> And again sorry for the wait, I got caught up writing other things, but I know how I want to wrap this up.

Karl felt like he was a mouse just waiting for the trap to be sprung and if he didn’t start planning an escape he would go insane. Also if he just sat around and waited, he would surely find himself very much mated to Kaecilius. Karl would rather be shot running away, hand in hand with Stephen, then let that happen. He had started to have reoccuring dreams of the American Army sweeping the countryside, Karl being woken up by Stephen flinging his bedroom door open to find the house deserted by Germans. By then Karl would wake up for real and still caught in this nightmare. He knew he had to act. 

And so he and Stephen started stockpiling goods and supplies they might need for a clandestine departure. Karl would go down and sneak small canned goods into his pockets while he charmed the soldiers. He collected items like a small pocket knife left on a counter by a wayward officer. He would fake small accidents so he could smile sheepishly and receive medical supplies. All of this he would keep in a large sack that he kept up in the attic with Stephen. 

Stephen wasn’t so keen on the idea of running away just yet, he was convinced that his brothers-in-arms must be fast approaching. The American desperately didn’t want to drag the omega into trouble. Karl would just kiss him and reassure him that he had gotten himself in trouble. “I’m not a fool, Stephen, I knew what I was getting into,” Karl whispered against his lips as they lay intertwined in the small bed. 

But he could feel Kaecilius breathing down his neck, and he knew that they needed to set a date for their escape. They would have to plan it down to every last detail. 

Of course this meant that Karl had to be very complacent in Kaecilius’ courting, agreeing to more and more dinners where Karl’s face would strain to smile at the Colonel. And to Karl’s horror the Colonel started to talk more and more about the future. About them being mated, their future home in Berlin, what kind of upbringing their children would have. Karl realized that things were spinning out of his control, not that he had much to begin with. 

Kaecilius was also getting more touchy and crude. While cutting up a piece of chicken one night at dinner he had nonchalantly asked Karl about his heats before taking a bite. 

“How do they normally affect you? I heard it’s different for every omega,”

Karl’s face had become warm and he had concentrated on pushing his peas around on his plate, sputtering out that he had not had one in years so he wasn’t sure. He wasn’t going to tell the alpha about how he had presented as a teen, resulting in him writhing around on his bed, sweating and longing for something to fill him and relieve the ache. He didn’t plan on being that way anytime soon, unless Stephen was present and they were far away from there. 

“I bet you look beautiful in the throws of one,” purred Kaecilius. “I can’t wait to see you like that. You’re just so stiff and so poised otherwise.”

‘Never going to happen,’ thought Karl with an internal shudder. 

Karl had braved another awkward dinner, Kaecilius leering at him and being crude and Karl had practically torn himself away and had rushed up to the attic and he was sitting with Stephen, watching the alpha eat the meager portions Karl had managed to get him. They were both cross legged on the floor, both of their faces illuminated by lamplight. Outside, rain poured down, making a pleasing tapping on the roof. 

“Have you thought about the future?” asked Karl as Stephen tore the piece of bread with his teeth. 

“Hmmm?” hummed Stephen, his mouth full. 

“I just figured since you have so much time up here to yourself you might have thought about the future.”

Stephen swallowed and then took a drink of water. “What part of it?” he asked putting the glass gently down on the floor. 

“Have you thought about--me?” asked Karl coyly, looking up at Stephen through his long lashes. 

Stephen laughed, reaching for the sausage. “You know I like to think about you up here.” 

Karl grabbed the cloth napkin next to Stephen, slapping the alpha with it playfully. “I know that you idiot! Not...dirty thoughts. I mean just thoughts about the future, about us--together.”

Stephen ate thoughtfully for a moment longer, until he put down the sausage down and looked up at Karl’s wide brown eyes. “Would it scare you off if I had already picked out the kids’ names?”

Karl smiled, “Only if they were bad. And too many.”

“You mean you balk at the idea of having 15 kids all named after US Presidents?”

Karl looked horrified and amused, “What, even the girls?” 

“Yep one we can name Fillmore, call her Fillie for short.”

“Poor dear! And where will we live that we can house all of these children?” asked Karl. 

“I was thinking somewhere with a lot of room, Kansas maybe. We can have a sprawling farmhouse and they can bunk four to a room,” said Stephen. 

“And will we be farmers then? If only my grandfather could see that.” 

“It’s a good thing he won’t be there then,” said Stephen. 

Karl felt a pang when he thought about his dreams for the future and what they could mean for his family. He knew including his mother in their escape was impossible. Even just telling her about Stephen would endanger herself and his beloved. Karl feared that he if he told Sara about Stephen she would go running to the Germans and reveal him, in fear that her son would get hurt while trying to flee with his lover. So he would have to leave without her, and hopefully reunite with her later. His grandfather on the other hand, could rot. 

“Yes, that is good,” said Karl. 

He wanted to tell Stephen to be serious, to envision a realistic future with him. But he knew how scary that was, to let yourself want something so badly. A future far away from the nobles and wars of Europe. Karl Mordo had not given much thought to America before, thinking vaguely he might want to see New York one day and visit some museums, attend a concert at Carnegie Hall. Now he understood what America could mean for people, the siren call of a better world. 

His hopes were simple but they were best left unspoken. Instead, he changed the topic to Stephen’s childhood and they put the food away, trying to store what they could in their escape bag. They cleared the floor and laid on the bed together, enjoying each other’s company and soft kisses. 

Then the silence was broken by the door to the attic stairs banging open. 

Karl and Stephen sat up suddenly in horrified panic and Karl was on his feet instantly tugging Stephen up to and towards the closet. Steps, slow and uneven were making their way up the stairs. “Karl!” cried out the heavy voice of Kaecilius. Karl felt his stomach clench. He sounded inebriated. A drunken alpha coming to an omega late at night was not going to only want to talk. 

Karl shoved Stephen into the closet and whispered quickly to him, “Stay in here, okay? No matter what you hear, no matter what he says to me, you stay. You hear me?”

Stephen looked almost sick but he reluctantly nodded, Karl cradled Stephen’s face in his hands and kissed the American. He then grabbed the door to the closet and made eye contact with Stephen one more time. 

“I love you,” said Karl, and then closed the door before Stephen could get a word out. He then went to stand in front of the door to the stairs, waiting for Kaecilius with clenched fists. 

The door banged open and the alpha came stumbling through. His cheeks were red and his normally tidy hair was falling in his face. He smiled wide when he spotted the omega. 

“Oh there you are, my sweet. Looking delectable as always.”

“Good evening, Colonel, what brings you up here?” asked the omega, trying to keep his calm and keep everything as formal as possible.

“I just thought that our evening together was too brief,” said Kaecilius, swaying as he walked around the attic, “And I wanted to see what you got up to up here.” The alpha sat down on the bed, the one he had just been occupying with the man he loved, and pat the space beside him. “Come and talk frankly with me.” 

“I would rather stay standing,” said Karl. 

“And I would rather you sit, omega” said Kaecilius, his voice turning hard in such a way that Karl had not heard from the man. Karl had been hoping the Kaecilius may be a jovial drunk but it seemed alcohol helped to wipe away a facade hiding a fierce temper. Karl had never feared him more. He walked over to the bed, sitting as far away from the alpha as possible. 

Kaecilius simply chuckled and moved down the bed and slinked an arm around Karl, bringing the omega into his side. “It’s a nice night, the rain makes this room so, how do you say,  _ cozy _ .” 

Karl was anything but cozy as he nodded, staring straight ahead of him. 

“But you don’t seem relaxed, my dear. You seem so stiff. Is there anything I can do to help you unwind?” asked Kaecilius, rubbing his hand up and down Karl’s arm. 

“I just like to be alone up here, that is all.” 

“Oh you sound lonely, Karl. I just think you need some company. I am lonely too. We could comfort each other,” said Kaecilius. 

“I hope you are not suggesting anything inappropriate, Colonel. We are not yet mated. This is not how my people do things,” said Karl, a bite entering into his voice. 

“Ah,” said Kaecilius, “But your people are my people now. You will get used to speaking only German, and it will be the only language your children will speak at home. And you will learn to drop your old fashioned ways. Germany is the most progressive country in the world, after all.” 

Kaecilius turned to regard the omega, “You look flustered. Here maybe if you undo a few buttons you will be able to breathe better.” The alpha reached up to unbutton Karl’s shirt and Karl instinctively slapped his hand away, stiffening in horror immediately at his reaction. 

Kaecilius didn’t react in anger though, pulling his hand back and regarding the omega with a crooked smile. “Still so resistant eh, Karl.” The alpha stood up and, the bed creaking at the movement. He walked over to the window, watching the rain flow down the pane. Karl was hoping he might be making his exit, realizing the error of his ways and that he would depart to go sleep off his drunken state. 

“I just don’t understand, Karl,” said the alpha, still looking out the window, his arms folded behind him. The man seemed to be sobering up by the second. 

“What’s that?” asked Karl. 

Kaecilius brought a hand up, tracing a raindrop’s path down the window. “I just don’t understand why you aren’t in fucking heat yet.” 

Karl’s eyes widened and his mouth dropped open. “Wha--What?” he sputtered out. 

Kaecilius turned to look at him, looking almost disappointed. “You should be whining for my knot by now. I should have mated you, you should be sporting my bond bite on that pretty neck of yours. But you’re still so _ lucid. _ ”

Karl had to fight down the bile burning in the back of his throat, “I’m on suppressants.”

“Ah, but your grandfather told me he would stop giving you them, tell you that they had run out. Are you telling me that I was lied to?”

Karl felt any last bit of affection he might have had for his grandfather crumble in his chest and he looked stricken as it dawned on him. His mother, the night before the ball, had given him a suppressant in secret. His mother had been trying to save him from his grandfather’s plan. 

But his mother wasn’t here. 

“I think,” said Kaecilius, pushing himself away from the wall and back towards the bed, “You might just need to some urging to help you get started. Some omegas do. I’ve had a few under me that have cried and fought and then minutes later were crying out in pleasure. You might be the same. You’ve never had an alpha over you.”

Kaecilius suddenly dropped the slow and flirtatious act and lunged at Karl, pushing the omega back on the bed and brackening Karl’s legs with his knees. The German smiled down at the omega, undoing his belt. 

“Don’t do this please,” said Karl, his voice shaking. 

Kaecilius reached down to wipe away a tear from the omega’s cheek, Karl hadn’t even realized he was crying. “You will learn to enjoy it, Karl. It’s what you were made for. Now turn ove--”

Kaecilius was suddenly pulled off of Karl and was sent sprawling to the floor. The alpha letting out a yelp of pain, stumbling to get back on his feet. Through squinted eyes he could make out another figure in the room with him. The figure of a young man. 

Kaecilius assumed it was one of his men, “How dare you interrupt me and my fiance, private! What are you doing here?”

“Yeah, my German’s rusty.  Kein Deutsch. Bitte Englisch?” 

Kaecilius, looked between the man and the omega sitting up on the bed. Karl grabbed the mystery man’s arm calling out, “Stephen!”

“Are you okay?” asked the man. Karl nodded. 

This intruder was American and it dawned on the Colonel who he must be. “The pilot! The American pilot. This is where you have been hiding the whole time. Wait! Not the whole time. Oh, Karl, you were hiding him in your greenhouse first.” 

The German was then shaking with fury, looking at the couple before him. The omega he had claimed as his own looking terrified on the behalf of the alpha standing before him. “So that’s why you haven’t given in to my ministrations, you filthy omega whore! You’ve got a little American hidden away. You’re been playing the blushing virgin while he’s been fucking you!” 

Kaecilius roared and lunged again for Karl but this time was met with Stephen’s fist and the Nazi was thrown back, holding his face in pain. He then turned his attention to Stephen. 

“Oh I’m going to enjoy torturing you. I am going to draw it out, make you suffer,” said Kaecilius in spark English as he grabbed Stephen by the shirt and forced him against the wall, landing a hard hit against Stephen’s stomach, making the American double over in pain with a gasp. 

“Kaecilius stop!” cried out Karl, now standing next to the warring alphas, tears streaming down his eyes. “I’ll do what you want, I’ll comply to everything just let him go!” 

Kaecilius laughed cruelly, his face looking twisted in the low lamplight of the attic. “Oh no, I think I’ll kill him and take you next to his broken body. No bargains for me.” But Stephen broke from his hold and managed to get an elbow jab in sending Kaecilius back with a groan. 

The German was in fit condition though and he had his hands on the American again very quickly. He knocked Stephen’s feet out from under him, making the American land hard on the floor and then bent over him, a fist raised over him. 

“I will show you what happens to those who touch what is  _ mine _ ,” growled Kaecilius. The fist would’ve come down but a hard object hit the German over the head making his neck snap back and eyes widen. 

The German’s grip loosened on Stephen, and the American went scrambling back. The German turned to look at Karl but was met with another blow from the omega, knocking him to the floor. 

Kaecilius stared up at the omega standing over him, a champagne bottle held by the neck over his head. Blood was starting to trickle from the alpha’s mouth and he struggled to get any words out. 

“I am not yours,” said Karl through clenched teeth, “And I never will be.” And then he brought the bottle down on Kaecilius’ head again. 

And again. 

And again. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	11. The Escape

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finally, the moment Karl has been dreaming of.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings for violence, mention of sexual assault (that ends here finally)

They didn’t have long until Kaecilius’ absence was noticed. There was no more time for planning, they would have to leave that night. That very instant. 

Karl was hysterical, standing over Kaecilius’ body, the colonel’s head laying in a puddle of blood. Karl dropped the heavy champagne bottle on the floor with a thud and staggered away from the gruesome scene. 

Stephen was less traumatized and was flooded with a need to protect his omega. He strode forward around Kaecilius’ body and grabbed the sack in which they had been gathering supplies. He came up to Karl, who was shaking and breathing erratically, “I killed him, Stephen. He’s dead.”

“Yes, Karl. He was a monster, he was going to  _ rape _ you. Now we need to get going,” said Stephen, tying the bag around his neck. 

“Where will we go? How will we escape” asked Karl, realizing the severity of their situation. Leaving through the house was not an option, even if it was just Karl, he would be out of place trying to leave the house at this hour in a rainstorm. 

“The other day when I was out on the ledge, I saw how I could climb down the outside of the building. I’ve been thinking that that could be our route of escape,” said Stephen. 

Karl looked to the window, “But Stephen, it’s raining.” 

“It’ll be an advantage, once we get down. There’ll be fewer soldiers patrolling tonight and their view will be obscured even more.”

“But we have to get down first,” said Karl, his voice strained with fright, “It’ll be slippery, what if we fall?”

Stephen squeezed Karl’s hand and leaned forward to kiss the omega on the forehead, “Don’t worry, my love. I will help you. And if we fall, we fall together.”

Stephen pulled Karl over to the window, pushing it open. Karl nervously eyed the outside, the rain dripping in onto the floor. “Are you sure, Stephen?”

“It’s the only way,” said Stephen, climbing up and out onto the roof, reaching in to help Karl out. Karl was still in his dinner clothes and was very much not equipped for such a venture. 

Karl plastered himself to the roof as Stephen came up to stand next to him. They were basically on the fourth floor so a drop from that height would certainly be deadly. “Stephen how are we supposed to get down?” he was trying to keep his voice from shaking too much. Rain was dripping down his face and he kept having wipe it away from his eyes with his sleeve. 

Stephen pointed at part of the building protruding below them, “There’s an old trellis against the wall! We can climb down it like a ladder.” 

“I’ve never seen it,” said Karl.

“It’s old and it doesn’t extend all the way down the ground.”

Karl looked at Stephen in horror, “So how do we get all the way down?”

“We are in luck, there’s a rubbish pile full of old crates and tarps and such down there at the bottom, the trellis goes down to a little past the second floor, we should be able to just jump onto the pile and it will break our fall.” 

Karl still looked unsure and Stephen moved forward, “I’ll go first, you follow, okay? And Karl, it’ll be alright, you saved me and I’m going to save you.”

Karl nodded shakingly giving Stephen a strained smile, “Okay. I trust you.”

Stephen crouched and crawled over to the wall the trellis was against. He climbed down to the edge of the rooftop and slung his feet over, facing away from the drop off. He lowered himself over carefully until his boots were able to wedge into the trellis. He started to edge his feet down until his hands were holding onto the gutter. “See? That’s how it’s done,” he called back to Karl. 

But then the rotten wood of the trellis gave through and Karl let out a shout as Stephen fell onto the next wrung, which thankfully held. “I’m just testing them out for you, baby!” called Stephen back up to Karl. “Now come along, just follow in my footsteps!” 

Karl was less confident than Stephen as he crawled over to the ledge. He repeated Stephen’s actions as closely as he could, but he placed too much weight on the gutter as he was lowering himself down and it came loose. Karl yelped and swung his body forward and grabbed ahold of the trellis with his hands, trembling. 

“Good job,” said Stephen from below him, “The hard part is over.” Karl wanted to tell him that the hard part would be the jump, but he kept his mouth shut and started the climb down. He kept his eyes on the wall in front of him, trying to forget that he was 60 feet up in the air. Karl was just glad that they were protected from the distracting rain from the ledge of the roof. 

They climbed past windows and Karl realized with a shudder that one must belong to his grandfather. The old man was a light sleeper but the rain would be masking their movements. He wondered how his grandfather would react when Kaecilius’ murdered body was found in the attic. Would he conclude the Karl was the one who had done it? Or would he never think that his meek omega grandson would ever have the nerve? 

They continued down, Stephen’s foot only breaking through one more wrung and soon he was at the bottom of the trellis, calling up and telling Karl to make his way beside him. Karl stepped to the side and started to make his way down, but then a section of the structure gave through and the wood that Karl was gripping fell away from the wall. Karl didn’t even have time to scream before Stephen caught his arm as he fell. Karl let out a whine and squeezed his eyes tight, refusing to look at the plummet below him. 

“I have you!” yelled down Stephen, “And we are right above the rubbish pile! So you should be able just to drop down.”

“What if I laid on a spike and am impaled?” yelled back Karl. 

“And what if you sprout wings and fly away like a bird? What if the ground splits open and swallows you up? You’re going to have to take chances, my love!” 

Karl nervously looked at the ground below, still too far away for his comfort though much closer than it had been. The pile of rubbish was soaked and dark and he was unable to discern what all was in the pile. He prayed that if he was stabbed through, that his death would be swift. He looked up at Stephen’s face looking down on him, wanting his alpha to be the last thing he might see. 

“I’ll fall with you!” yelled Stephen, “On the count of three! One, two---” And then Stephen let go. Karl didn’t even have time to react to the shock of him letting go on two as he plummeted to the ground. They landed in the pile with a crash and Karl eyes shot open as he tried to evaluate if he had been harmed. Nothing was in pain, but he patted himself down anyway, worried that it would be shock that was keeping him from feeling his injuries. But everything thing was in order, it looked like he had landed on a pile made up of mostly old potato sacks. He then checked on Stephen. 

The alpha was moaning next to him and Karl scanned his eyes over the man. “What’s wrong?” asked Karl. 

Stephen pulled himself up, “My foot.” Karl looked down and found Stephen’s foot laying on a crate that it must have hit in their crash. “Does anything else hurt?” asked Karl, Stephen shook his head, grimacing.

Karl crawled over to Stephen and cleared away the debris, worried that their crash could have roused the soldiers. “Do you think it’s broken?” asked Karl and Stephen shook his head, “No I can move it some, I think it’s a bad sprain.” 

“Okay, well we’ve got to go,” said Karl, crawling out of the trash and standing up, his feet sinking slightly in the mud. He reached down and helped, Stephen to his feet bringing the alpha’s arm around his shoulder. 

They made for the forest, in the direction of the town. Karl wasn’t sure where they should go, he just knew they couldn’t stay here. From behind him, Karl could hear the door to the house burst open and men come out, probably roused by the sound of their fall. Karl tried to increase their speed into the forest and made sure they were mostly walking on the ground covered in leaves and were not leaving footprints in the mud. 

There was already forest between them and the house, and he hoped the soldiers would be inspecting the rubbish and not looking in their direction. Karl’s heart was thumping in his ears and it must have been so loud he didn’t hear the sound the footsteps running behind them. 

“Stop right there!” the voice said in German. Karl could hear the a gun being raised so he and Stephen froze in their steps. “Turn around!” ordered the voice. 

Karl spun himself and Stephen around slowly and Karl could have vomited when he came face to face with the soldier. Because there in front of him, his shaggy wet blonde hair sticking to his forehead, was Private Weiss. The man who had molested Karl all those weeks ago. 

Weiss lowered his gun, blinking as rivets of rain flowed over his eyes. “Little mouse? Is that you I see?” Weiss’ mouth twisted up in a cruel smile, “How peculiar.”

Karl bent to lean Stephen against a tree, holding up a hand so as not to startle the German. “Weiss, is it?” As he asked, he slipped a hand into the bag tied to Stephen. 

“Ja,” said the soldier. 

“Please don’t raise the alarm,” said Karl. 

Weiss threw back his head and let out a laugh, “And why shouldn’t I? And who is your friend?” 

“He’s no one, just a friend from the village that I was sneaking out to see.”

“Sneaking out in the rain? Ah, you crashed into the refuse pile, didn’t you? Is our little bird trying to fly the coop?” said Weiss walking closer. 

“I’ll let you have me, just don’t raise the alarm,” said Karl. His voice was calm and controlled, even though Stephen was staring up at him in horror. 

Weiss shook his head, his smile ever present, “That’s not this works, omegas don’t get to dictate the rules. I will let  _ you _ have my knot. Though it will have to be a secret from your beloved, Colonel, eh? I did see I would get a taste, if it was the last thing I do.” 

Karl was relieved that Kaecilius’ body had just yet been discovered. 

“He bragged tonight at dinner how he would take you. What you got a taste of an alpha’s knot and now you want more? He turned you into some little slut, maybe we can all take turns with you before the Allies slaughter us. Come, I will use your mouth. Remember how I said your mouth had tempted me. We will go to your silly greenhouse.” 

Weiss was about to turn and Karl was going to follow but Stephen grew panicked and yelled out, “Karl!” Weiss halted in his steps and turned back around. 

“That was no French accent!” said Weiss marching back over to Stephen and pointing his gun down at him. 

Stephen stared up at the Nazi with wide eyes, his hands up in the air. Weiss inhaled to yell something else in Stephen’s face but it never came, because a dark hand came up and drew something across his throat in a quick stroke. 

Weiss’ hand shot up to hold his throat as blood seeped out of it. He turned to look at the omega standing there, a pocket knife clutched in his hand. Karl’s eyes were large and horrified and Weiss tried to shout something at him but blood bubbled out of his mouth. Then his body convulsed, his eyes rolled back in his head, and he feel to the ground. His body let out a few more spasms and then stilled. 

This time, Karl didn’t give into his terror, and he almost immediately was helping Stephen to stand and snaking an arm back around him, his efforts to get away from the house renewed. Stephen turned and pressed a kiss into the side of Karl’s head and pushed forward too. 

They avoided the road into town and instead ambled through the fields. Stephen occasionally letting out a whimper from pain, but for the most part uncomplaining. They had to wade through creeks and carefully make their way down hills covered in slippery grass and tried their best to avoid any holes. If Karl hurt his leg too they were down for. 

Finally, they came to the village and they rested in an alleyway behind a small shop, hidden amongst some baskets. They were both shaking and Karl peeked beneath Stephen’s pants leg to find his ankle terribly swollen. The alpha rested his head on the omega’s shoulder, “What will we do?” he said in a shaky voice. Karl didn’t have an answer and just told him to rest for the moment.

Stephen dozed off out of pure exhaustion as Karl considered their options. They would need to keep running, or find another place to hide. Karl had killed two men that night and he knew there would be a massive hunt in the area for him. Hope was dwindling and their effort looked to be completely in vain. 

Then a voice called, “Who’s there!” and Karl wanted to cry. Couldn’t they have a few more moments together before they met their doom? Early dawn was breaking and Karl could clearly see the owner of the voice, looking down the alleyway at the two slumped figures. 

It was Mr. Wong, the kindly shop-owner, and his mouth dropped in shock when he saw Karl there. “Young Lord, what is going on?” Karl couldn’t muster up any words and just gave Wong a shattered look. The grocer seemed to understand and came over to help get Stephen up, who awoke with a start at seeing the stranger. 

“Don’t worry, Stephen, Mr. Wong is a friend,” Karl whispered to him, a comforting hand on his back. Stephen nodded and let the man help him to a large wooden door located on the street of the alleyway. 

Wong left Stephen leaning against Karl and he flung open the wooden door, revealing stairs leading into a basement. “Hurry,” said Wong, ushering them inside, before someone sees you. 

Karl and Wong helped Stephen maneuver the stairs, the alpha only wincing as they descended to the landing. Wong reached forward and unlocked the door, ushering them inside. He then ran back up the stairs and shut the door to the street. 

Karl and Stephen were in a well stocked basement, shelves full of various household objects and bags of potatoes piled up against the wall. Karl brought Stephen over to the potatoes and let him sit on them and then he followed suit and sank down besides him. 

Wong finished locking the door and then came over to the couple. “Okay, Mordo. Now tell me what happened.”

Karl opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out, instead his lips started to wobble and his eyes started to brim with tears. Stephen looked at him with concern and he answered Wong’s question for him, “It was a long night, we are on the run from the Germans.”

Wong was startled, “An American soldier?” 

Stephen glared at Wong, “Are you going to report us?”

Wong laughed, “Of course not! I want to help you, anything to get back at those beasts. Here, I can tell you are traumatized, let me get you some food and tea and we may talk it over after you have rested.” Wong then ran upstairs, leaving the omega and alpha alone. 

Karl was swaying as he sat as the weight of the last few hours crashed down upon him. He had abandoned his family, had almost died, had almost been raped multiple times, and had killed two men. Stephen slipped an arm around him and dragged him so they were laying on the potatoes, Karl tightly in his arms. 

Stephen directed Karl’s face to his neck and rocked the omega. “I am so proud of you, you are so strong and brave. I love you,” whispered Stephen into Karl’s ear. And Karl finally let go and sobbed. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Should only be about three more chapters before I finish this fic :)


	12. The Release

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Karl and Stephen find themselves in another cellar, but this time they are able to finally relax.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am crawling to the finish line! Luckily I am excited to write the ending of this fic.

It took some coaxing on Stephen’s part, but Karl finally seemed to calm down and they both were able to access the situation. Stephen kissed him, smiling against his lips, “Perhaps we are almost free. Everything we have dreamed of, my love.”

“And perhaps the town is being overrun with Nazis, and they are turning over every barrel, tearing into every basement and attic, looking for us,” said Karl, his melancholy demeanor securely in place. 

“Us? I do believe that they don’t know about me, you killed the only witnesses,” said Stephen, trying to lighten the mood. Karl simply shot him a look and Stephen had the decency to look shame-faced. 

Stephen stood up and looked around the cellar, placing a few bags of flour next to each other on the floor, with an old drop sheet and a couple of bags of clothes on top of them. “Violia, my beloved!” said Stephen, slapping his hands together, “I present to you, a bed. And I propose you get some rest.”

Karl sighed and stood up, “One day, I will be with you in a proper bedroom, made for adults with a king-sized bed.” 

“I look forward to it,” said Stephen with a smile. 

Karl took his hand as he walked by the alpha, “And we shall not leave that room for days.” 

“The room service will be tremendous.” 

“I will have the bill sent to my grandfather,” said Karl as he sat down on the makeshift bed, laying down while Stephen spooned him from behind. The exhaustion from the night before came crashing down on him, and he dozed off as Stephen kissed the back of his neck and whispered, “Sleep my love.”

xxx

_ There were explosions around him, but there was no sound. Everything was playing out like a black and white silent movie, only there wasn’t even a player piano. Karl stood among the chaos and he took a step forward.  _

_ He bumped into something and looked down. On the ground in front of him, was a man’s body. Stephen’s body. The front of his shirt was stained bright red and as Karl brought his hands up to scream he saw that they too were covered in Stephen’s blood.  _

“Karl! Karl!” 

Karl jolted from the nightmare and he blinked a few times to focus in the dim light of the basement. There crouched beside him, was Stephen, running his hand up and down along Karl’s side to calm him. “Hey, I think you were having a nightmare,” said the alpha in a whisper.

Karl took some deep breaths before nodding, “Yes, it was awful Stephen.”

“I can’t blame you for being traumatized, after having to live in that house,” said another voice. Karl sat up with Stephen’s help and looked around for the source, and there was Wong setting down some food at a small table in the middle of the room, a lantern in the center of it. 

“Mr. Wong, thank you so much for everything,” said Karl, “You put yourself at great risk in housing me.”

“Eh, I should’ve done something sooner. We all should’ve. But I don’t think any of us knew what those monsters were capable of. Or that they would be here so long. But they won’t be here much longer. And they’ll have bigger worries than hunting down an omega.”

“How do you know?” asked Stephen. 

Wong walked over to a wall of the cellar and pulled out two boards. Behind the boards was a small space, not even big enough to allow an adult man to stand up fully inside it. Inside sat a small table on which a radio sat. “I’ve been listening to whatever I can get on it. Let’s just say in the last few weeks, there’s been a lot more English than German.”

“Then the invasion happened,” said Stephen excitedly. 

“Yes, the Allies landed at Normandy a few weeks ago. The Germans are on the retreat,” confirmed Wong. 

Stephen let out a laugh and clapped his hands together, pulling Karl up to his feet, “Did you hear that baby? We are saved!” 

Karl let Stephen hug him, lifting him off his feet, all while in stunned silence. He never thought he would get a happy ending, and now it was so close. 

“Well I thought you two love birds may want some food, I cobbled together whatever I could find. Oh and I had a bottle of wine.” 

“Perhaps you should save that for when my brothers-in-arms come marching into town,” said Stephen. 

“Oh, no. I have a bottle of champagne for that,” said Wong with a wink. 

“Will you be joining us?” asked Karl, broken by his stupor by his breeding and the etiquette that was ingrained in him. 

“Oh no, I already ate,” said Wong, “But you two enjoy your dinner, sorry it’s all I could provide. I have a romance novel at my bedside that awaits me.”

“Stephen hasn’t had a proper meal in months,” said Karl, “And all of my meals have been filled with a sense of terror. We are truly grateful, Mr. Wong.”

Wong smiled, “I’m just glad you are starting to look like your old self again, young Lord. It was hard, seeing you fade away over all of these years.” Wong then took his leave and climbed back up the stairs into the store area. 

Once they were alone, Stephen tugged Karl back into his arms, and the omega curled against his chest, his head resting on the alpha’s shoulder. They stayed like that for a good moment, just allowing themselves to take solace in the rise and fall of each other’s chests. 

Finally they pulled apart and approached the table, Stephen quickly stepping in front of Karl to pull out his chair. Karl smiled and took a seat. 

They chatted over the meager supper, some chicken in mushrooms with a side of potatoes. Both of them loosened up with the wine, and soon they were laughing comfortably while reciting tales of their lives long before the war. Stephen spoke of bumbling army sergeants, and Karl enthralled Stephen with stories of the elite and their ridiculous ways. 

After all the wine had been drunk, Stephen pushed back his chair, standing up and approaching Karl with a stiff bow. “May I have this dance?” asked Stephen in a comedic British accent. 

“Oh? Who do you think I am? An omega that dances with every soldier I come across?” asked Karl, playing along. 

“Oh no, you’re a proper gentleman, you only dance with the  _ absolutely gorgeous ones _ . You have taste after all.” 

“Well I better wait until one of those comes along,” said Karl but Stephen pulled him up to his feet and swung him around, Karl laughing in delight as he did so. 

They stilled and Karl’s laughter calmed and they found themselves standing in the center of the room. “Hi,” said Stephen in a whisper and Karl responded, “Hello.”

Stephen started to sway them back and forth in a sort of slow dance, as he hummed a tune under his breath. Karl looped his arms around Stephen’s neck and Stephen’s went around Karl’s waist. 

They switched on who was humming, different songs coming to them. Stephen smiled, “Looks like we are back where we started.”

“Oh?” 

“Back in a cellar.” 

“Oh yes, our love story in a series of cellars. Hidden away, a secret and precious thing,” said Karl with a sad smile. 

“Soon I will love you in the light of day, though,” said Stephen leaning forward to capture Karl’s lips in a kiss. 

“And what if I don’t want to share you with the world?” asked Karl, “What if I want to move into a cave in some desolate Northern wasteland?” 

“Then I will go with you,” said Stephen, “And I will live in your light.”

“That’s awfully saccharine.” 

“Let me be mushy when I have my guy in my arms and full meal in my belly.” 

They soon ended their dancing and Karl took Stephen by the hand, leading him back to their pallet of flour sacks with a coy smile. He had Stephen sit on them and then stood in front of him, the lantern illuminating him from behind, his dark skin glowing in the lamp light. “How about a show?” asked Karl. 

“Oh baby, I’ll watch anything you can show me.” 

Karl moved his hands up and down his body, swinging his hips, humming another tune under his breath. He turned around, and looking seductively at Stephen over his shoulder. When he turned back, he started to unbutton his shirt, letting out a gasp with each button released. He let the shirt fall back off his shoulders as he rocked his arms back and forth. 

He made quick work of his undershirt, slipping it off of and throwing it at Stephen who was enraptured at the scene in front of him. He licked a thumb sensuously and then circled his nipples with it, the nubs quickly becoming erect. Stephen sat on the bed with his mouth gaping. 

Karl then went for his trousers and undid the fastening with a smile spread across his face. He let the fabric fall to the floor and he stepped out of it, before bringing his hand to the bulge in the front of his underpants. “Oh Stephen,” he said as he rubbed against his erection. 

Stephen was on his feet quickly and then kneeled in front of his Karl, his hands going around Karl’s hips. “Stephen!” Karl yelped in surprise. 

“Shh, Karl,” said Stephen as the alpha rolled down the omega’s underpants, releasing his erect cock. “Let me take care of you.”

Karl gasped as the alpha’s lips wrapped around him. He never thought he would experience this from an alpha and he clutched Stephen’s hair as he let his head fall back in quiet gasps. Stephen sucked him like he was a starving man, and his tongue circled around him. Karl started to shake as Stephen ran his tongue over and over his silt. His omega gentelia may not be well endowed, but it was no less sensitive of that of an alpha. 

The omega brought a hand up to bite a knuckle as he came, Stephen swallowing his release down eagerly. The alpha didn’t have any time to relish in the fact that he had made his omega come before Karl was pulling him up, grabbing at his buttons and his belt. 

“Quick, quick, get naked.”

“You are insistent aren’t you? Not even savoring that orgasm.”

Karl pulled Stephen in for a fierce kiss and pulled back, “I’ll savor the one I have from having your cock pound my prostate. I need you inside me  _ now.” _

Stephen didn’t need to be told twice and he helped Karl to strip himself and they stumbled back onto the bed, coming to lie side by side. Stephen leaned over to the side and grabbed a small canister. “What’s that?” asked Karl breathlessly. 

“Just some balm that could help prevent pain when I enter you.”

“Did you find that around here?” 

“No, Wong gave it to me.”

“Really?” asked Karl, feeling embarrassed.

“Yeah, kinda mortifying but I’m grateful, not gonna lie about that,” said Stephen. Stephen had Karl lie on his stomach and Karl waited to be breached by a finger but the next thing he felt was far too warm and wet. “Stephen!” he said in a squeak. Stephen could not answer, his mouth was busy. 

After preparing Karl with his mouth, he opened the canister and scooped out some of the mixture. “Are you sure about this baby? Have you ever done this before?”

“No, I haven’t, but yes I am sure, I cannot wait for you any longer,” said Karl in a whine, “And anyway, I need a trial run before I take your knot in my heat, right?”. The alpha didn’t need to be told twice and Stephen prepared him, slowly and surely. It was a bit difficult for him with his hands though, so Karl had Stephen lead the omega’s fingers as he spread himself open for his alpha. Stephen was painfully hard by this point. 

When Karl was ready, Stephen had him turn onto his back. “I want to see your eyes,” said the alpha, gathering up Karl’s legs on either side of him. Karl reached up a hand to cup Stephen’s cheek and said, “Do it, my love, spoil me for only you.” 

Stephen pushed into the omega and then stilled, making sure that nothing had tore and Karl was not in pain. But the omega only moaned and begged Stephen to move. Stephen started a slow rhythm as he moved in and out of his omega. 

Karl’s flung his head back and he scrambled to tug Stephen down over him by the shoulders. “God, Stephen,” he breathed out. “Don’t stop, never stop.” 

“Never, I’ll keep going as long as you need.”

“Go faster, my love. I am strong.”

“I know,” said Stephen as he increased the speed of his thrusts and soon the room was filled with the sound of flesh slapping and their pants. Karl thought he was in heaven as Stephen hit his prostate again and again and for a split second he was glad of everything that had happened to bring him here. Here, making love with the man he adored, instead of a marriage bed with a cold noble who would take him hard and fast, not concerned with Karl’s pleasure or pain. 

Karl came the second time with a strangled cry and fell back against the flour sacks as Stephen continued to pound into him. The alpha clenched his teeth as he found his own release and held himself there, going soft in the omega while still on his knees. 

After catching their breaths, Stephen pulled himself out of Karl and he stood up, gathering a wet cloth from a bowl of water that Wong had left them. Stephen leaned down and wiped the cloth up Karl’s ass and then he cleaned up the mess Karl had left on his own stomach. He threw the cloth over in the corner and asked Karl if he was satisfied. 

“Mmmm,” said Karl, leaning up and meeting Stephen’s mouth in a kiss, “You’ll do. I think I’ll keep you.”

They then laid down together, Stephen gathering Karl up in his arms, and fell into the deepest sleep they had had in ages. 

xxxx

A week later they were shocked from their sleep when Wong came barrelling down the steps, tearing the boards away to get to his radio. 

“Where’s the fire Wong?” asked Stephen as he pulled his face up from its resting place in Karl’s hair. 

“The Germans have left! They took all of their trucks and tanks and went early this morning.”

At that Stephen was shaking Karl awake and climbing out of the bed, pulling on a pair of trousers. 

“Mmmm love what is it?” mumbled Karl. When Stephen told him, the omega was also on his feet quickly, pulling on all of his clothes. The room filled with messages from the Americans, speaking about the Germans’ departure and their own immediate arrival into town. 

Stephen was smiling, staring intently at the radio but Karl started to drag him away from the device, leading him to the stairs. “Baby?” asked Stephen. 

“Come with me, let’s greet the morning.” 

Stephen and Karl ran up the stairs and into the storefront, tumbling out into the street, heralded by the shop’s bell ringing. 

There were other people around, bustling around in the excitement of the Nazis finally leaving but Karl only had eyes for his alpha as he pulled him in for a kiss in the middle of the street. 


	13. Chapter Thirteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Karl says goodbye to an old life.

The next day was a bustle of activity, as the American and British troops rolled into town. All of the town’s people were out to greet their liberators, but the Allies were most surprised to see a smiling American alpha pilot, his arm thrown around a pretty omega. Stephen thought his commanding officer could’ve fainted when he saw him. The man came scrambling off his truck and grasped Stephen by the shoulder, looking him over, “Strange! I thought you had died!” 

“I would’ve if it hadn’t been for Karl here,” said Stephen, hugging Karl closer into his side. Karl smiled shyly and said, “It was my pleasure.”

“Well,” said the American officer, “I’m interested in hearing the story. I bet it’s one for the ages.”

Karl and Stephen hung around the front of Wong’s store, watching troops pull through the town. They set up camp a half of mile or so outside of the town and when everything had settled down, the couple walked out there, their hands clasped between them and swinging back and forth. It was a beautiful day and the sun shone in the blue sky over the rolling hills of the French countryside. 

When they arrived in the camp, Stephen was clapped on the back by his fellow soldiers and his superior spirited the couple away into a tent, pulling on a nice bottle of wine for them to share while Stephen and Karl told their story. 

When they had finished, the man, who went by Lieutenant Matthews, leaned back with his arms crossed. “So Strange, you let your omega kill the Nazis for you?” he asked in a joking manner. 

“Couldn’t stop him if I tried! He decided he was going to protect me and he stuck to it,” said Stephen, reaching over to take Karl’s hand in his again. 

“Jesus, should I get the chaplain in here to marry you two?” asked Matthews with a laugh. 

Stephen and Karl froze, they had for so long been just surviving, any talk of the future was almost fantasy for them. Stephen blushed, “Uh, we haven’t talked so much about marriage, and while I want to marry Karl maybe we should have a proper chur--”

“Yes.”

Stephen turned to look at his omega, who had a smile stretched across his face. “What?” asked the alpha. 

“Yes, get the chaplain to marry us, right now, right here in this tent,” said Karl. 

“Well!” said Matthews, standing up with a slap on his thighs, “I’ll be right back” 

Once they were alone, Stephen turned to Karl, “I think  _ I’m  _ supposed to  _ ask you _ , get down on one knee and all that.” 

Karl rolled his eyes, “And since when has this ever been a regular courtship? Look Stephen do you want to marry me?” 

“Yes, with everything in me. I never want to be apart from you again.” 

“Then, why wait? If we want a big wedding it can come later. I want to go to sleep tonight as Mr. Karl Strange.” 

Matthews came back shortly with the chaplain and Stephen went on the search for a ring, coming back with one, held up triumphantly in the air. “Some guy was holding onto his ex-husband’s wedding ring, wanted to throw it somewhere out of spite, but he said he would rather it be used for a more happy occasion.” 

Stephen and Karl stood face to face in front of the mousy little chaplain, who thumbed through his book until he landed on the section about wedding rights. Matthews stood by, acting as the witness. 

“Dearly Beloved, we are gathered here today in the presence of these--this witness, to join… what are your names again?” “Karl and Stephen”  “Karl and Stephen in matrimony commended to be honorable among all; and therefore is not to be entered into lightly but reverently, passionately, lovingly and solemnly. Into this - these two persons present now come to be joined. If any person can show just cause why they may not be joined together - let them speak now or forever hold their peace.” The chaplain rushed through this part, knowing there would be no objections towards the two starry-eyed men’s joining. 

When they got to the vows, the man tried to lean forward to have them read from the book, the same old “for richer or for poorer” spiel. But Karl waved him off, wanting to speak for himself. 

“Stephen, I thought I knew what life had in store for me. I thought I would have to remain a submissive, dutiful omega, running a house in Bucharest. A part of me, a part I tried desperately to ignore, wanted more though. And then the war happened and I didn’t even dare to dream even for the life as a pampered, upper-class omega, the life I didn’t want. And then you came crashing, quite literally, into my life. And despite everything, we did it, we made it out. And I allowed myself to dream again. I dreamed of a life without decorum, a life without mansions and arranged marriages. Just you. I want you to stay with me, Stephen, forever in all things. No matter what life throws at us next. I want every adventure I have from now on to be by your side.” 

Stephen had tears threatening to spill over and he was biting his bottom lip, and the chaplain gestured for him to say his vows but Stephen let out a watery laugh, “I can’t beat that. I stink at words. I love this omega and I want him to be my husband, let’s just finish this thing.”

And so Stephen slipped the slightly too big ring on Karl’s finger, and the chaplain declared them married. Before he could say, “You may now kiss the groom,” the couple was already there, Karl clutching Stephen’s face to his. Stephen wound his arms around the omega, lifting him off the ground and spinning him around.

Matthews sighed to the chaplain, “Well, I guess I should break open my best bottle of spirits. It was supposed to be for when we breached the border but this shit is so goddamned sweet I think it counts as a time of celebration.”

And there was a celebration. Food was collected, many donations from the townsfolk had rolled in, and a big bonfire was lit. Some of the soldiers had musical instruments and they formed a small band and a party of sorts got underway. Some of the townspeople had attended and Karl spotted a soldier shyly talking to the omega boy that he had helped all that time ago. The omega had grown bolder, and his dress was much prettier this time, and he pulled the alpha boy into a dance. 

Karl had only gone to stiff, formal dances and to be spun around and flung between soldiers filled him up with much glee. He laughed and cheered with them during the fast songs, but he found himself swaying in his husband’s arms as the party eventually started to dwindle down. He leaned his head on Stephen’s soldier and felt the most relaxed he had ever been. 

xxx

A military truck pulled up the grand house in the middle of the woods in the early morning. Stephen and Karl had been so exhausted the night before, they had fallen into adjacent cots in their own private tent and didn’t have the energy to consummate their new marriage. There would plenty of time for that later, Karl would make sure of that. Karl had shaken Stephen awake when the sun came streaming in, asking Stephen to arrange a ride for them.

Now here they were, at the top of the drive leading down to Karl’s family’s once grand county estate. Stephen, looking handsome freshly shaved in a clean uniform, clutched his husband’s hand, “Are you sure I can’t accompany you?” 

“Yes, love, I am sure,” said Karl, cupping Stephen’s face, “I need to go alone. I need to finish this alone. After that, I intend to never leave your side.” He leaned forward and kissed Stephen and jumped out of the truck, the stones composing the drive crutching under his feet. 

It seemed like it had been abandoned for ages, full of ghosts and rotting floorboards. But in reality it had been less than two days. Karl took his time, walking up the stairs to the front door, his hand running across the marble. The door wasn’t locked, and it gave away with a creak as it swung softly open under his palm. 

Karl walked into the foyer, which was in a state of disarray, the paintings and tapestries torn from the wall. What caught Karl’s eye though was the disheveled woman sitting slumped on the stairs. 

“Mother!” cried Karl, as he ran up the stairs. Sara’s eyes, hooded and heavy, rose up to regard her child. She looked mildly relieved to see him. “Oh, Karl. My baby, you’re okay. Oh, but are you a ghost? Possibly an illusion?”

Karl reached forward and grabbed Sara’s hands. “Mother, I am here. I’m safe.”

Sara’s eyes lit up slightly, “I was so worried Karl, after you disappeared the other night, leaving dead bodies in your wake.”

“I’m sorry, Mother, it all happened so suddenly.” 

“After they found the colonel’s body, there were so many rumors. Did you kill him, my dove?”

“Yes, Mother.”

Sara’s face remained blank of emotion and she nodded, “Good. That’s good.” 

Karl sat down on the step next to his mother, sit holding her hands. “Mother do you remember the pilot? The American pilot that crashed his plane in the woods? I found him, I kept him hidden. I feel in love with him and Mother I—“ Karl pulled up a hand to show her the ring, “I married him.”

Now Sara’s eyes widened, “Oh my precious boy, you have had an adventure, haven’t you? I’m so happy you found love, if the marriage went through between you and the disgusting German I would’ve slit his throat in his sleep myself.” She looked at the ring closer, “So shabby for such a jewel as yourself, here.” She slipped off the ring and replaced it with her own wedding ring, which shone as bright as the day Nikolai placed it on her finger.

“Mother! I can’t take your ring.”

“Hush! It is the least I can do, having failed to protect you from so much.”

Karl shook his head, “I know what you did with the suppressants.”

“Yes,” said Sara, “You know, Karl. Your grandfather sincerely thought he was helping by throwing you in his path. We had no way of knowing how things would turn out.” 

“Well they worked out very well for me, Mother. And now you’re going to come with us, me and Stephen.”

Sara smiled at her son with tight lips, and then squeezed his hand. “No,” she said as she stood up with a rustle of skirts and walked up to the stairs and into a small sitting room. 

Karl, mouth ajar in surprise, stood up and followed behind her. “But Mother, why? You can’t stay here.”

Sara bent down and picked up the remains of a tea set that had been flung from an upended cabinet. “I cannot leave your grandfather, Karl. Not in the state he is in.”

“Why not?” said Karl, sneering and growing angry, “He would have had me  _ raped _ , let him rot in his old mansion.” 

“He is my father, and while yes, he is a cruel man, I will stay with him to the end. I am most grateful you have found your freedom, but I was never meant to live any other life than this one. This one that is in tatters among us” said Sara, holding up a tea cup and then bringing up part of her skirts to wipe it down. 

“Mother, this is  _ nonsense _ . You should come with me, you can live with me and Stephen.”

“And to what end Karl? So I can be a grandmother in your little American home? In ugly sweaters and looking after your children? Meeting other little old ladies for cards?”

“Yes mother, yes come with me and have that life. Have any life you want! But this life is over! Mama please!” 

“Some people are not meant to transition. I fought for your right to choose, Karl, now I would ask you to let me choose my fate. You can cross that bridge, but I cannot. I am Baroness Mordo, and I will remain so, even if the time of Barons and Lords is over. Go with your American, my  motănel, and live whatever life you want. Everything else, everything required of you, is gone. It’s all been blown away.” She threw down the teacup on the floor, letting it smash into tiny pieces. “Go, love, find your father, have many babies, fly far away from here.” 

Karl, tears flowing down his face, ran to his mother, flinging his arms around her. She ran a hand up and down his back, humming to him and swaying. Karl pulled back and looked her in the eyes, “If you change your mind, you will join us, correct? My name is Karl Strange now, my husband is Stephen Strange.” 

“Yes, I will, my dove. Now go to your husband, before your grandfather wakes from his drunken stupor.”

Karl pulled away from his mother with a whimper, his lips trembling and tears continuing to flow. He didn’t dare look back at Sara, too afraid he would rush back to her and cling to her skirts, begging her to change her mind. He stiffly walked down the stairs and out the front door. That was the last time he would ever see her. 

When he came out of the once grand house, he found that the sun had emerged from behind the clouds and was slightly blinding him. It took him a moment to focus on the American vehicle, sitting in the drive. He was then overcome with a great need to run to it, and so, he did. 

He sprinted down the rocky path, sending up pebbles in his wake. Stephen must have thought he was distressed, or being chased, because he hopped off the truck and ran to Karl. Stephen caught his omega in his arms, putting himself between Karl and any potential threat, “What is it? What’s wrong?” 

“Nothing!” cried Karl, pulling Stephen’s arm. “Let’s go away from here, Stephen. It’s an awful place.”

“You didn’t get your things?” 

“There was nothing I needed.” 

“What about your family? Your mother?”

Karl shook his head, “They are gone! They left no trace, no way for me to contact them.” 

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, please, Stephen. I spent so long trying to escape this place, let’s be rid of it.”

Stephen took in his upset omega, with his puffy red eyes and he firmly took his hand,  “Okay then, let’s go.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just the epilogue left :)


	14. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Karl's life in the New World.

_ 10 Years Later  _

Karl had been so busy tending to his vegetable garden he hadn’t noticed the time. Glancing down at his watch, he cursed under his breath and shook off his gardening gloves and slowly rose up to his feet, supporting himself with a hand on his back. He dusted off his clothes as he walked around to the front of the house and down the gravel drive to the street. He was lucky, the bus was several minutes late today. 

Karl smiled as the bright yellow bus came to a stop in front of him, the doors opening with a jerk. The old grizzled driver gave him a nod as two children came down the middle aisle and went clamoring down the steps. 

A little boy and girl--the girl had turned eight a few months back and the boy was all of five years old, still getting adjusting to going to school everyday. The girl had a book in her hands, which she opened back up when she feet crunched onto the gravel. “Hello, Mama,” said the girl, not giving him much more than a glance. “Hello, baby,” said the girl as he walked by and pat Karl’s distended belly. Karl remembered the days when Victoria would leap off the bus into his arms, but he couldn’t exactly be upset she was growing into such a dedicated bookworm. 

His youngest though, at least currently, was gripping his hand tightly, looking a bit forlorn, throwing glances up at Karl. Vickie looked back, alerted because her sibling was so quiet, and rolled her eyes, “You know the rules Jimmy! You’re a big boy now, and Mama can’t carry you with the baby in his tummy! Only Daddy can carry you.” Jimmy sighed in disappointment and Vickie stopped, turning around, with her hands on her hips. She put her book in the bag that hung down at her side and then turned back around, squatting with her arms out behind her, “Well come on then, but only up to the house and only because it’s Friday.”

Jimmy tore himself away from Karl and ran to his older sister, climbing up on her back. Vickie was so fastidious with her clothes, her skirt and sweater still as unwrinkled as they had been when Stephen had ironed them this morning. The two thick French braids running down the back of her head were still flawless. Jimmy on the other hand, was wearing dusty overalls and mud stained boots, signs of a full day of playing with his fellow Kindergarteners. Karl was proud that Vickie had made the offer even if it would damage her spotless appearance. 

Karl followed behind his children, asking them about their day as they galloped their way up the drive. When they got to the house, Jimmy dismounted and the children ran up the stairs and through the front door. Both kicked off their shoes and Vickie placed her school bag on the hook, pulling the book back out and running towards her room, while Jimmy went to the living room and to the basket of toys that was waiting for him. 

Karl went to the kitchen and put the kettle on to boil and got out a mug for tea. At this time of the day, he normally liked to sit in the kitchen, the window open letting in soft breeze, and drink tea while looking over the newspaper or mail. He would bask in the sounds his children made, Jimmy imitating cowboy and horse noises and the Vickie singing along to her radio in her room. Living relatively carefree childhoods. Karl rubbed a hand up and down his stomach, soothing the restless baby within. 

So much had happened in the last ten years since him and Stephen had arrived in New York City on an army cargo ship. They had walked for hours that day, so Stephen could introduce Karl to the city. They had had dinner in a diner and then had gotten ice cream in Central Park. They had ended up in a small hotel room, cramped back it didn’t matter, they spent the night tangled up in each other. 

The weeks following had been a flurry of them getting settled. Karl getting his citizenship papers worked out, Stephen getting his pension from the army. With the pension they paid a month’s rent on an apartment and then Stephen got a job down at the docks. Karl had been taken by surprise when Stephen had scooped him up into his arms and carried him over the threshold and into the dingy little apartment. This was the only time Karl lamented not pilfering the family home for jewels. But Karl found an old typewriter thrown out in their neighbor’s trash and practiced on it until he was able to get a job as a typist at a nearby office. 

Their house steadily filled up with secondhand furniture and decorations that Karl was able to find in thrift stores. He was so happy to have a home to make his own. Then one day, Stephen came home to find Karl sweaty and glassy eyed. The alpha immediately turned around and called their bosses from the phone in the hallway saying they would both be off for the next few days. Karl had been so disappointed in the weeks after when his scent didn’t change, but Stephen had just kissed him saying that it wasn’t such a bad thing for them to enjoy just being with each other while they still had the chance. 

Not having children to look after, Karl enrolled in night classes and worked his way up to to getting a teaching certificate. Stephen also pursued his dreams in his off time. His childhood dream of being a doctor was as shattered as his hands, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t help people. He studied ways people dealt with trauma and studied under an alpha female doctor, an odd bald woman with a British accent, who helped former soldiers deal with the physical and mental scars they had come back with through meditation and yoga practices. 

During this time, the couple finally conceived. Stephen had spun Karl around and then had called and made a reservation at one of the nicest restaurants they could afford for a celebration dinner. They had dressed in the fanciest clothes they had or could borrow and that night Stephen had stripped Karl and kissed his stomach over and over before moving lower. 

Months later, Karl was making dinner, his apron stretched over his belly, while Stephen was putting up the laundry when there was a knock on the door. Stephen put down the basket he was carrying and went to the door, where there was a man, with dark skin and a grey beard, wearing a suit with an overcoat and his hat clutched tightly in his hands. Behind him stood an elegant looking older male omega, bundled up in a fur coat and a silk turban on his head. His skin was a lighter shade than the man’s and his eyes were lined with kohl and his lips were painted with rouge. Two long elegant fingers held a cigarette in them.  “Hello, how may I help you?” asked Stephen to the couple. 

The alpha nervously looked around Stephen into the apartment, “Hello, I was told this was the home of a Karl Strange, formally Karl Mordo? We are looking for him.” He had a thick accent similar to Karl’s. 

Stephen was about to ask why they were looking for his husband when Karl walked into the room behind him, “I hope it’s not that salesman again, I told him we didn’t need a Bib---”. Karl froze, eyes catching the man in the doorway. The omega blinked several times before he could let out a choked, “Tati?” 

Stephen moved to the side so the couple could walk in, and Nikolai smiled, his eyes brimming with tears. “Yes my little tomcat,” he said before Karl was running over and sobbing in his father’s arms. Nikolai soothed his son and walked them over to the couch, letting them sink into it as Karl still clung to his father. The older omega walked into the apartment, his eyes surveying the space around him, “What a lovely little home you’ve made Karl.” 

Karl pulled away from his father and looked at the other omega, wiping his tear-stained face. “Constantin?” he asked in a horse whisper, “What are you doing here?”

“Helping your Tati find you! You were pretty hard to track down, little one. Though perhaps I should not say little anymore, you’re full of baby! Little Karl Mordo, about to be a mama, I can’t believe,” said Constantine and took a drag of his cigarette. 

Karl smiled and looked back at his father, “Stephen and I looked for you, Tati, in London. But we had to board the ship to New York. Stephen went to the war office at least a dozen times to enquire about information on your location.” 

“Yes,” said Nikolai, “We both had an adventure it seems, but I am so glad that we found each other, especially because you are about to make me a grandfather, or,” he said looking around the room, “Am I already a grandfather?”

Karl laughed, “No Tati, this is my first.” He took Nikolai’s hand and put it against his stomach, and Nikolai’s smile grew when he felt the baby kick. 

Karl stood up and took Stephen by the hand, “Tati, Constantin, this is my alpha and my husband, Stephen Strange. We met when the Nazis were occupying the country home.” Stephen came forward and shook his father-in-law’s hand. 

Constantine quirked a thin eyebrow, “Really now? Sounds like a story.” He then winked at Karl and mouthed, “Nice catch.” 

Nikolai’s smile fell, “Karl, your mother? Is she….” But Karl’s face fell and and Nikolai took a deep breath, saying only, “Oh.” Constantin, not wanting the mood to be spoiled said, “Dinner! I smell dinner cooking, but on this occasion we should go out, no? On Nikolai’s tab of course.” 

And so all four had gotten ready and they went out to one of the fanciest restaurants in Manhattan. They had gotten a cab with no problem, because three had slammed on their breaks when Constantin had stuck out a gloved hand and there was no reservation needed when all the omega had to do was sweet talk the maître d. Constantin had given Karl a sly look and said, “Still got it” as they were led to their table. 

Stephen and Karl had regaled their guests with their story, Nikolai looking shocked and proud at his son. Karl had tried to tiptoe around Krowler’s dealings with Kaecilius but Nikolai caught on, looking sad as he squeezed Karl’s hand, “I’m sorry that I was not there to protect you from that foul man, but I guess I didn’t need to be after all. You seem to have taken care of yourself. And Stephen too, you took care of each other.” 

“It’s love story for the ages, Karl, what a beautiful happy ending. You get American dream and everything. You even killed few Nazis, good for you my boy.” said Constantin, sipping on a flute of champagne. 

“And what about you Constantin? What were you up to during the war? How did you find my father?”

Then Constantin launched into a saga about how he had made his way across Europe, traveling with the circus at some point, dealing with spies and resistance leaders, seducing evil leaders before making off with their secrets and their wallets. Finally he came to London where he was performing on stage when he caught Nikolai’s eyes in the crowd. 

On the way home, they were able to grab two cabs and Constantin looped his arm with Stephen’s, pulling him into one, saying, “I am stealing your lover Karl, I must interrogate in private.” Karl gave Stephen a sympathetic smile as Stephen looked back at him mildly panicked, before entering into his own cab. 

Once they had pulled away from the curb, Karl turned to his father and asked what Constantin had really been doing during the war. Nikolai looked pained, “Yes, it’s all a facade isn’t it? Always has been with him. I didn’t find him when he was on stage, he appeared at my door in a threadborne coat, half starved without a lick of makeup on, I barely recognized him. I never asked what happened to him, but Karl, he has nightmares.  _ Bad ones. _ ” 

Karl never inquired about the omega’s time during the war again, accepting that in a way he had got off easy compared to others, but he expected Constantin to regain a version of his old life here in the New York society, despite the fact that he was approaching 50. And in a way he did, he gained fashion designer and artist friends, he frequented coffeehouses with the intellectuals of the day. But he never stepped foot on stage again and he didn’t leave Nikolai. Everytime Karl and Stephen visited Nikolai’s modest apartment, there was Constantin ushering them in, getting more and more fussy over Karl’s belly and making him sit down on the couch, stuffing a pillow behind his back. When Karl when into labor, Constantin was in the room before his father, wiping Karl’s sweaty forehead and holding his hand. The nurse almost had to fight him to get the newborn Vickie away from him. He slept on the Stranges’ couch for the first week Vickie was home, despite the fact that Nikolai’s apartment was only a 10 minute train ride away. 

Nikolai managed to make a trip back to Europe, in a last ditch effort to see what became of the rest of their family. Constantin refused to go saying, “We are in the New World, Nickie! Why would I return to the Old one? Plus Karl needs help with the baby.” Nikolai came back a few weeks later and told Karl that he had been to the village in France and all that was left of the estate was burnt out ruins. “The townspeople don’t know what happened, they said it was a clear night about a month after the Germans left. Nothing could be salvaged, the fire burned too hot. Oh, and by the way, a Mr. Wong sends his congratulations.”

A few months later, Nikolai sat Karl down, and told his son that he was going to ask Constantin to marry him. “It would make the immigration process much easier, and he’s basically my husband anyway, he certainly fancies himself as Vickie’s grandmother.” The omega could be heard singing in Romanian in the kitchen as he fed Vickie her dinner. 

“Do you love him, Tati?” asked Karl. 

Nikolai sighed, “Yes, in a different way than your mother. They are very different, aren’t they? But he makes me happy.” 

“Then that is all that matters. I know he will never replace mama, but he’s family already. Might as well make it official.” 

It was a simple courthouse wedding, Constantin happy in the frock he borrowed from a socialite friend, but happier that Karl had dressed Vickie in the dress of his choosing. Constantin spent the day scooping up the toddler and kissing her on her cheeks, leaving bright red stains from his lipstick. Constantin was later alone with Karl, out on the balcony of his and Nikolai’s apartment, when Karl asked the omega how long he had been in love with his father. “Oh since the very beginning, Karl. I guess the only good acting I ever did was hiding it. I will honor Sara though, and take care of her family, just try and stop me,” said Constantin with a wink. 

More milestones came and went, Karl graduated with his teaching certificate, and Stephen was able to begin work in a clinic, practicing the methods he had learned. While Karl liked being so connected in the city, he started to long for space, room to grow, and of course, a garden. Stephen knew his wishes and when Vickie was three and Karl announced that he was pregnant again, the alpha started looking into homes in upstate New York. 

One afternoon he took the whole family for a ride, Constantin with Vickie in his lap pointing at various sights and bouncing her. He stopped and said he wanted to show them something, and led everyone up a drive where a solitary house sat. It was older, made of red brick with a faded fence around it and was so different from the cookie cutter houses that were popping up in the suburbs. Karl immediately loved and it and almost passed out from joy when Stephen told him it could be theirs, all Karl had to do was sign the deed. 

And that is how Karl came to have a home that was all his own, not just his husband’s that he was permitted to run. He had been a teacher at the local middle school shortly after James was born, but with his due date creeping closer he was just doing tutoring at the moment, and Stephen had been able to open a new clinic in the area, offering different types of therapy. 

Karl’s thoughts were broken by a soft brush against his leg as their tabby cat, Nicholas, rubbed up against him affectionately. The omega leaned down to scratch the cat on the head as he heard the gravel crunch, signaling that Stephen was pulling in from work. Jimmy abandoned his toys and ran to the door just as Stephen was coming in, yelling “Daddy!” Stephen grabbed his little boy by the overall straps, swinging him back and forth and eliciting a torrent of giggles before tossing him up into his arms, “Hey Jim-bo! How was school, buddy?”

The little boy chattered to his daddy about his friends and what they had got up to, as Stephen shifted him to his hip and came into the kitchen and gave Karl a kiss, laying a hand on the omega’s belly. Then Vickie came into the kitchen, greeting her father and asking if they could go into the city soon, “Please? Bunica* said there’s a shop he wants to take me to and get me clothes, I just know my friends would die if I wore something so in fashion, please Daddy? Can we?” 

“Why are you asking me? It’s your mother I don’t see wanting to go into New York when he has to lug another baby around,” said Stephen. 

Vickie turned her pleading gaze to Karl holding up her hands in a begging fashion, “Mama?” 

Karl rolled his eyes, “Okay. It would be nice to see Bunic and Bunica, wouldn’t it? Bunica said he had some baby things for me. We can go on Sunday, but you kids need to get your homework done before then” Vickie and Jimmy both cheered in victory. 

Later, as Stephen and Karl were finishing up dinner, Stephen came behind Karl and wrapped his arms around the omega’s stomach, kissing him on the cheek and whispering into his ear, “I missed you today, baby. I can’t wait to sleep in in the morning with you.”

“Are you sure you want to sleep?” said Karl stirring the pasta as Stephen kissed his neck, lingering on the bondmark. 

“Mmm,” said Stephen, “Not if there’s an offer for some other activity.”

“Even when I’m this big?”

Stephen moved Karl to face him and tilted to his face up, looking directly into his eyes, “Always. I’ll never stop wanting you. I worked too hard to get you.” 

The couple kissed deeping, Karl’s hand coming up to cup the back of Stephen’s head when they were interrupted by Jimmy coming and crying, “Ewww!” which led Stephen to chase him playfully around the house. 

Karl went back to the pasta, content with his happy ending. The world he had grown up in had been blown apart and he had been left to build a life from the pieces. And what a beautiful job he had done. 

**The End**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And I am finished! Wow that took a while, but I am stubborn and will leave no fic left behind. Thank you to everyone for reading this work, it means so much to me. Bye bye until I think of another historical ABO AU.

**Author's Note:**

> Follow me @LadyEmma91on twitter or stephenstrangeisaho on tumblr.  
> And comments and kudos as always equal faster chapters, I am nothing if not human.


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